Image processing system

ABSTRACT

An image processing system includes a reference exposure section, a developing section, a film scanner, and an image processing apparatus. The reference exposure part carries out reference exposure by R light, G light, B light and gray light, by using an unexposed area of a photographic film as a reference exposure area, in order to form image information to be used for determining image processing conditions. The film scanner reads the reference exposure area developed by the developing section. A control section of the image processing apparatus calculates the image processing conditions, such as color correction conditions, from read data of the reference exposure area. An image processing section carries out image processing of frame images recorded on the photographic film, according to calculated image processing conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and inparticular, to an image processing system for executing imageprocessings of an image recorded on a color photographic film afterdevelopment.

2. Description of the Related Art

Color photographic films, such as a color negative film or a colorreversal film, comprise a blue-light-photosensitive layer for forming ayellow dye image due to blue light exposure, agreen-light-photosensitive layer for forming a magenta dye image due togreen light exposure, and a red-light-photosensitive layer for forming acyan dye image due to red light exposure.

At the time of photographic processing of a color negative film, adeveloper is oxidized in the process of reducing silver halide particlescontaining a latent image into silver, and a dye image is formed bycoupling of the oxidized developer and a dye-forming coupler.Conventionally, undeveloped silver halide is eliminated in a fixingprocess, or an undesirable developed silver image is eliminated in ableaching process.

Recently, convenience in such photographic processing of a colornegative film has been called for more and more strongly. For example,Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 6-295035 discloses animage forming method for extracting the image information representingimage wise exposure for each of the red (R), green (G), and blue (B)color parts from a silver halide color photograph element, that is, froma silver image, without forming a dye image by the black and whitedevelopment of a color photographic film.

However, an ordinary color photographic film is designed so as to havean image with appropriate color gradation R, G, B transmission densitiesat the time of normal development. That is, a color photographic film isdesigned for providing a dye image appropriately, and is not designedfor appropriately providing a silver image, which is not to be usedoriginally for image information. Thus, in the case in which a colorphotographic film is subjected to black and white development or tocolor development and a silver image or a color image is read,appropriate color reproduction and gradation reproduction are notpossible.

Moreover, since the ratio of the dye image and the developed silverdiffers depending on the type of the film, the exposure level, and thelike, the read images cannot be corrected uniformly.

Furthermore, since the reflection density and the transmission densityare in a non-linear relationship, in a case in which both reflectionreading and transmission reading are used, the gray balance cannot becorrected by a simple correction.

Moreover, the problem of color mixing occurs in the reflection readingdue to the influence by the lower layers. Since the extent thereofdiffers depending on the type of the film, the color mixing cannot becorrected uniformly.

Furthermore, since the concentration of unnecessary substances remainingin a color photographic film after black and white development, theconcentration of the silver halide, and the concentration of theanti-halation layer produced by the colloid silver differ in accordancewith the type of the film, they cannot be corrected uniformly.

A silver image can be obtained by irradiating a light beam from thefront side and the back side of a color negative film, and detecting thelight reflected from and the light transmitted through the front side(emulsion surface side) of the color negative film and the back side(base surface side thereof).

However, unlike color paper, an ordinary color photographic film doesnot contain a layer including titanium oxide or the like having a highreflectance, and thus ordinary color photographic film cannot reflectlight efficiently. Therefore, in order to read an image with a high S/N(signal/noise) ratio, a large amount of light should be irradiated ontothe film. In particular, in the case of reading reflected light from thebase surface side, since the anti-halation layer comprising a colloidsilver attenuates the light, an even larger amount of light should beirradiated.

However, in the case in which a large amount of light is irradiated,heat may be generated so as to deform or damage the film, and thus, theamount of irradiated light cannot be increased. Moreover, as comparedwith a case of reading transmitted light, in reading reflected light,generation of flare and deterioration of sharpness due to the multiplereflections in the layers are conspicuous. Furthermore, the sharpness isdeteriorated also due to the color offset caused by the positionaloffset between a sensor for reading out the reflected light and a sensorfor reading out the transmitted light.

Moreover, in this case, the silver image information of the intermediatelayer can be obtained by subtracting the silver image information basedon the light reflected from the front side and the back side of thecolor negative film, from the silver image information based on thelight transmitted through the color negative film.

However, since the image information of the intermediate layer isobtained by subtracting the silver image information based on the lightreflected from the front side and the back side of the colorphotographic film from the silver image information based on the lighttransmitted through the color photographic film, appropriate colorreproduction is even more difficult to achieve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was developed in order to solve theabove-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is toprovide an image processing system capable of appropriately reproducingthe color and the gradation of an image recorded on a color photographicfilm which has been subjected to black and white development.

Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provide an imageprocessing system capable of preventing deterioration of sharpness evenin cases in which an image is obtained by reflected light andtransmitted light of light irradiated onto a color photographic film.

Furthermore, still another object of the present invention is to providean image processing system capable of appropriately obtaining imageinformation of an intermediate layer even in cases in which imageinformation is obtained by reflected light and transmitted light oflight irradiated onto a color photographic film.

A first aspect of the present invention is an image processing systemfor carrying out image processing on an image recorded on a colorphotographic photosensitive material which has at least three kinds ofphotographic photosensitive layers containing blue-light-photosensitive,green-light-photosensitive, and red-light-photosensitive silver halideemulsions on a light transmissible supporting member, and which isprocessed such that a silver image is generated in the photographicphotosensitive layers after exposure of an image, said image processingsystem comprising: a light source for irradiating light to a front sideand a back side of the color photographic photosensitive material; areading sensor for reading image information by light reflected from thefront side and the back side of the color photographic photosensitivematerial, and light transmitted through the color photographicphotosensitive material; an exposing device for exposing a predeterminedunexposed area of the color photographic photosensitive material by eachblue, green, and red light; a calculating device for determiningcorrection conditions for correcting image information of each color onthe basis of the lights reflected from the front side and the back sideof the color photographic photosensitive material in an area exposed byeach color and the light transmitted through color photographicphotosensitive material; and a correcting device for correcting a readimage in accordance with the correction conditions.

The color photographic photosensitive material has at least three typesof photographic photosensitive layers containingblue-light-photosensitive, green-light-photosensitive, andred-light-photosensitive silver halide emulsions on a transparentsupporting member. After exposing a photographed image on such a colorphotographic photosensitive material, a black and white developingprocess or a color developing process is carried out so as to produce asilver image in each photographic photosensitive layer. A light sourceirradiates a light onto the front side and the back side of the colorphotographic photosensitive material at which the silver images havebeen formed. As the light source, a light source comprising LED forirradiating light of a wavelength to be reflected by the silver image,such as light of a wavelength in the infrared region (IR light), can beused.

The reading sensor reads the image information based on light which isreflected or transmitted from the front side and the back side of thecolor photographic photosensitive material by irradiating the colorphotosensitive material with light emitted from the light source. Thatis, in the case of a color photographic photosensitive material a theblue-light-photosensitive (B) layer, a green-light-photosensitive (G)layer, and a red-light-photosensitive (R) layer laminated in this order,the image of the B layer is read by light reflected by a silver image ofthe blue-light-photosensitive layer, and the image of the R layer isread by light reflected by a silver image of thered-light-photosensitive layer. The image of the G layer can be obtainedby subtracting the image of the R layer and the image of the B layerfrom the image of the total three layers based on the transmitted light.

The reading sensor may be formed by a front side low resolution sensorfor reading, at a low resolution, reflected image information based onlight reflected from the front side of the color photographicphotosensitive material; a back side low resolution sensor for reading,at a high resolution, reflected image information based on lightreflected from the back side of the color photographic photosensitivematerial; and a high resolution sensor for reading, at a highresolution, transmitted image information based on light transmittedthrough the color photographic photosensitive material.

Moreover, the reading sensor may be formed by a common sensor forreading, at a low resolution reflected image information based onreflected from one of the front side and the back side of colorphotographic photosensitive material, and for reading, at a highresolution, transmitted image information based on light transmittedthrough the color photographic photosensitive material; and a lowresolution sensor for reading, at a low resolution, reflected imageinformation based on a light beam reflected by another of the front sideand the back side of the color photographic photosensitive material. Byproviding the sensor for reading the reflected image information and thetransmitted image information as a common sensor, the apparatus can besimplified so as to reduce the cost.

As the low resolution sensor, the high resolution sensor, and the commonsensor, for example, an area CCD capable of reading out a frame image ofa color photographic photosensitive material at one time or a line CCDcapable of reading out an image one line at a time can be used.

The exposing device exposes a predetermined unexposed area of a colorphotographic photosensitive material by each of blue, green, and redcolors, and preferably effects single color exposure (referenceexposure) from a low density range to a high density range for eachcolor. As the exposing device, for example, a light source with LEDs foremitting light beams corresponding to each of blue, green and red colorsdisposed according to a predetermined exposure pattern can be used.

Since the reflected light of the light irradiated onto the front sideand the back side of a color photographic photosensitive material isinfluenced by a lower layer, an appropriate color reproduction cannot beexecuted as it is.

Therefore, the calculating device calculates correction conditions forcorrecting, for example, color mixing of the respective colors. Namely,the calculating device determines correction conditions for correctingthe image information of each color, on the basis of light reflectedfrom the front side and the back side of the color photographicphotosensitive material in the area exposed by each color, and lighttransmitted through the color photographic photosensitive material. Forexample, since the R layer is influenced by the B layer and the G layer,color mixing occurs. However, by determining the R layer density and theB layer density in the area single color exposed by G color, the degreeof color mixing of the G color in the R layer and the B layer can beobtained. Accordingly, by determining the density of each layer in eachsingle color exposure area, the degree of color mixing in each layer canbe known. Therefore, the calculating means determines the density ofeach color in each single color exposure area, and sets the correctionconditions so as to eliminate color mixing in each layer, from thedetermined density values of each layer in each single color exposurearea.

The correcting device corrects the read image according to thecorrection conditions determined as described above. Accordingly, evenin the case of reading out an image recorded on a color photographicphotosensitive material which has been processed so as to produce asilver image, color reproduction and gradation reproduction can berealized appropriately regardless of the type of the color photographicphotosensitive material, the passage of time, or changes in thedeveloping conditions.

Moreover, the reflection density and the transmission density have, ingeneral, anon-linear relationship. Therefore, in the case of an image inwhich both reflection density obtained by reflected light andtransmission density obtained by transmitted light exist, even if thedensities are combined, color reproduction and gradation reproductionmay not be carried out appropriately.

Therefore, it is preferable that the calculating device converts thereflection densities obtained by the light reflected by the front sideand the rear side of the color photographic photosensitive material totransmission densities. That is, for example, from the reflected lightand the transmitted light of the R layer in the R single color exposurearea, the conversion characteristics for converting from the reflectiondensity to the transmission density can be determined. Similarly, fromthe reflected light and the transmitted light of the B layer in the Bsingle color exposure area, the conversion characteristics forconverting from the reflection density to the transmission density canbe determined. Therefore, by converting the reflection density to thetransmission density using the conversion characteristics and bydetermining the correction conditions on the basis of the transmissiondensities of the respective layers, even more appropriate colorreproduction and gradation reproduction can be realized.

A color photographic film is designed such that a good characteristiccan be obtained in the case of normal color developing. In contrast,when a color photographic film which has been subjected toblack-and-white development is read by light which is reflected from thefront side and the rear surface or light which has passed through thefilm, there is non-linearity in the characteristic due to variousreasons. Specifically, there is non-linearity because the relationshipbetween the reflection density and the transmission density isnon-linear as described above, and because the ratio of theconcentration of the coloring material and the concentration of silveris not constant.

Thus, in the present invention, the exposing device carries out grayexposure on the predetermined unexposed area of the color photographicphotosensitive material, the calculating device further determines thecorrection conditions for correcting gray balance and contrast based onthe light reflected from the front side and the back side of the colorphotographic photosensitive material and the light transmitted throughthe color photographic photosensitive material, and the correctingdevice carries out at least one of non-linearity correction of the readimage, gray balance correction of the read image, and contrastcorrection of the read image in accordance with the correctionconditions.

A second aspect of the present invention is an image processing systemfor carrying out image processing on an image recorded on a colorphotographic photosensitive material which has at least three types ofphotographic photosensitive layers containing blue-light-photosensitive,green-light-photosensitive, and red-light-photosensitive silver halideemulsions on a light transmissible supporting member, and which isprocessed such that a silver image is generated the photographicphotosensitive layers after exposure of an image, said image processingsystem comprising: a light source for irradiating light onto a frontside and a back side of the color photographic photosensitive material,and a reading sensor for reading, at a low resolution, reflected imageinformation based on lights reflected from the front side and the backside of the color photographic photosensitive material, and for reading,at a high resolution, image information based on a light transmittedthrough the color photographic photosensitive material.

The color photographic photosensitive material comprises at least threetypes of photographic photosensitive layers containingblue-light-photosensitive (B), green-light-photosensitive (G), andred-light-photosensitive (R) silver halide emulsions on a transparentsupporting member. After exposing a photographed image on such a colorphotographic photosensitive material, a black and white developingprocess or a color developing process is carried out so as to produce asilver image in each photographic photosensitive layer.

A light source irradiates light onto the front side and the back side ofthe color photographic photosensitive material on which the silverimages have been formed. As the light source, a light source comprisingLEDs for irradiating light of a wavelength to be reflected by a silverimage, such as light of a wavelength in the infrared region (IR light),can be used. Furthermore, in a case in which the color photographicphotosensitive material is subjected to color development, a lightsource comprising LEDs for irradiating light of a wavelength to bereflected by a dye image formed on each layer, that is, R light, Glight, or B light, can be used.

The reading sensor reads, at a low resolution for example, the reflectedimage information based on light which is from the light source andwhich is reflected by the front side and the back side of the colorphotographic photosensitive material. Moreover, the reading sensorreads, at a high resolution for example, the transmitted imageinformation based on transmitted light which is from the light sourceand which is transmitted through the color photographic photosensitivematerial. That is, in the case of a color photographic photosensitivematerial with a blue-light-photosensitive layer, agreen-light-photosensitive layer, and a red-light-photosensitive layerlaminated in this order, the B image information is read by the readingsensor light reflected by a silver image of theblue-light-photosensitive layer, and the R image information is read bythe reading sensor by light reflected by silver image of thered-light-photosensitive layer. The G image information can be obtainedby subtracting the R image and the B image from the image information ofthe total three layers based on the transmitted light read by thereading sensor.

The reading sensor may be formed by a front side low resolution sensorfor reading, at a low resolution, reflected image reflected imageinformation based on light reflected from the front side of the colorphotographic photosensitive material; a back side low resolution sensorfor reading, at a low resolution, reflected image information based onlight reflected from the back side low resolution sensor for reading, ata low resolution, reflected image information based on light reflectedform the back side of the color photographic photosensitive material;and a high resolution sensor for reading, at a high resolutiontransmitted image information based on light transmitted through thecolor photographic photosensitive material.

Moreover, the reading sensor may be formed by a common sensor forreading, at a low resolution, reflected image information based on lightreflected form one of the front side and the back side of the colorphotographic photosensitive material, and for reading, at a highresolution, transmitted image information based on light transmittedthrough the color photographic photosensitive material; and a lowresolution sensor for reading, at a low resolution, reflected imageinformation based on a light beam reflected by another of the front sideand the back side of the color photographic photosensitive material. Byproviding the sensor for reading out the reflected image information andthe transmitted image information as a common sensor, the apparatus canbe simplified so as to reduce the cost.

As the low resolution sensor, the high resolution sensor, and the commonsensor, for example, an area CCD capable of reading out a frame image ofa color photographic photosensitive material at one time or a line CCDcapable of reading out an image one line at a time can be used.

Moreover, reading at a low resolution can be realized by moving thereading sensor in a predetermined direction during the photoelectricconversion by the photoelectric conversion elements by a moving means,in a case in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements areincluded in the reading sensor for the photoelectric conversion ofreflected light.

That is, in the case the reading sensor includes a plurality of thephotoelectric conversion elements for the photoelectric conversion ofreflected light, such as photodiodes, and there are gaps betweenadjacent photoelectric conversion elements, the moving means moves thephotoelectric conversion elements in the vertical direction and thelateral direction so as to detect the light irradiated onto these gaps.Accordingly, although the resolution is lowered, there is no need toincrease the amount of light to be irradiated, even in the case of thereflection reading.

Furthermore, by executing the reading during moving and not duringcharge accumulation, high resolution reading can be realized. Therefore,the same sensor can serve as a reading sensor for both transmitted lightand reflected light.

Moreover, low resolution reading can be carried out by combining theoutputs from the adjacent photoelectric conversion elements.

By combining the outputs from the adjacent photoelectric conversionelements, although the resolution is lowered, the sensitivity can beimproved apparently, so that even in the case of reflection reading,there is no need to increase the amount of light which is irradiated.

A third aspect of the present invention is an image processing systemfor carrying out image processing on an image recorded on a colorphotographic photosensitive material which has at least three types ofphotographic photosensitive layers containing blue-light-photosensitive,green-light-photosensitive, and red-light-photosensitive silver halideemulsions on a light transmissible supporting member, and which isprocessed such that an image including a silver image and a dye image isgenerated in the photographic photosensitive layers after exposure of animage, said image processing system comprising: a first light source forirradiating an infrared light onto the color photographic photosensitivematerial such that the infrared light is transmitted through thephotographic photosensitive layer of an intermediate layer; a secondlight source for irradiating, onto the color photographic photosensitivelayer, of a color complementary to the dye contained in the image in thephotographic photosensitive layer of the intermediate layer such thatthe complementary color light is transmitted through the intermediatelayer; a reading sensor for reading first transmitted image informationbased on the infrared light transmitted through the color photographicphotosensitive material, as well as second transmitted image informationbased on the complementary color light transmitted through the colorphotographic photosensitive material; and a calculating device forobtaining image information of the intermediate layer by calculationusing the second transmitted image information and the first transmittedimage information.

A color photographic photosensitive material has at least three types ofphotographic photosensitive layers containing blue-light-photosensitive(B), green-light-photosensitive(G) and red-light-photosensitive (R)silver halide emulsions on a transparent supporting member. Afterexposing a photographed image on such a color photographicphotosensitive material, a color developing process is carried out so asto produce, a silver image in each photographic photosensitive layer, animage including a silver image and a dye image.

The first light source irradiates infrared light (IR light) onto theemulsion surface side or the supporting member side of the colorphotographic photosensitive material such that the light is transmittedthrough the intermediate the photographic photosensitive layer. As thelight source a light source formed by LEDs for irradiating IR light canbe used. In the case of a color photographic photosensitive materialwith a blue-light-photosensitive layer, a green-light-photosensitivelayer, a red-light-photosensitive layer, and a supporting memberlaminated in that order, the upper layer is theblue-light-photosensitive layer, the intermediate layer is thegreen-light-photosensitive layer, and the lower layer is thered-light-photosensitive layer.

A second light source irradiates, on the color photographicphotosensitive material, complementary color light of a colorcomplementary to the dye contained in the image in the photographicphotosensitive layer of the intermediate layer, such that thecomplementary color lights is transmitted through the intermediatelayer. For example, G light, which is complementary color light to themagenta dye contained in the green layer which is the intermediatelayer, is irradiated.

The reading sensor reads the first transmitted image information basedon the infrared light transmitted through the color photographicphotosensitive material, as well as reads the second transmitted imageinformation based on the complementary color light transmitted throughthe color photographic photosensitive material. In a case in which thefirst light source irradiates IR light and the second light sourceirradiates G light, the reading sensor can read out the information ofthe silver image of the total of the three layers based on thetransmitted IR light, and can read the dye image of the intermediatelayer, (that is, the green-light-photosensitive layer) based on thetransmitted G light, and the silver image information of the total ofthe three layers. As the reading sensor, for example, an area CCDcapable of reading out a frame image of the color photographicphotosensitive material at one time or a line CCD capable of reading outan image one line at a time can be used.

The calculating means obtains the image information of the intermediatelayer (green-light-photosensitive layer), that is, the G imageinformation, by calculation of the second transmitted image information(that is, information of the dye image of the green-light-photosensitivelayer), and the silver image information of the total of the threelayers, and the first transmitted image information. For example, bysubtracting the first transmitted image information from the secondtransmitted image information, the G image information can be obtained.Since the G image information comprises only the dye image information,as compared with the case of the information comprising only the silverimage, information can be obtained with a high accuracy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overall structural view of an image processing systemaccording to first and second embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an APS film.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a 135 film.

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view of a reference exposure section.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an LED substrate.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a reference exposure area of an APS film.

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural view of another embodiment of areference exposure section.

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural view of a black and white developingsection.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a spray tank.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the spray tank.

FIG. 11 is a schematic structural view of a film scanner.

FIG. 12A is a bottom view of an illumination unit, and FIG. 12B is aside view of the illumination unit.

FIG. 13 is a graph showing the wavelength of a irradiated light.

FIG. 14A is a plan view of an ND filter for brightness correction, andFIG. 14B is a plan view of a reflection plate for brightness correction.

FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining image reading using IR light.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a DX code.

FIG. 17 is a timing chart showing the image reading timing according tothe first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a schematic structural view of a pixel displacement unit.

FIG. 19 is a schematic structural view of an image processing sectionaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram of a screen configuration for channelregistration.

FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing the flow of control for determiningprocessing conditions in the case of processing a 135 film.

FIG. 22 is a timing chart showing the image reading timing according tothe second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a schematic structural view of an image processing sectionaccording to the second and third embodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 24A to 24C are diagrams for explaining pixel displacement of anarea CCD.

FIG. 25 is a graph showing the relationship between an input signal andan output signal when sharpness enhancement is carried out in the secondand third embodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 26A and 26B are side views of an illumination unit according tothe second and third embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a schematic structural view of an image processing sectionaccording to the second and third embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is an overall structural view of an image processing systemaccording to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 29A is a bottom view of an illumination unit according to the thirdembodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 29B is a side view of theillumination unit.

FIG. 30 is a timing chart showing the image reading timing according tothe third embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention used in an imagereading apparatus for reading out a silver image recorded on the colorphotographic film before or after drying, after carrying out black andwhite development on the color photographic film so as to produce asilver image not including dye information, development, bleaching,fixation, and drying without washing with water, will be explained. Inthe case of the black and white development, a light source of varioustypes of wavelengths including red light (R light), green light (Glight), and blue light (B light) can be used, but in the embodiments,the case of reading a silver image using an infrared light (IR light)will be explained. In the case of reading an image in a state in whichthe development has not stopped or during the development, if R, G or Blight is used, a problem of exposure of the silver halide by the readinglight is generated. However, if IR light is used, this problem can beavoided.

FIG. 1 shows the entire configuration of an image processing system 10.As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing system 10 comprises a magneticinformation reading section 12, a reference exposure section 14, a blackand white developing section 16, a buffer section 18, a film scanner 20,an image processing apparatus 22, a printer section 24, and a processorsection 26.

The image processing system 10 is for reading out the film image (silverimage) recorded on a color photographic film such as a negative film,and a reversal film (positive film), carrying out image processingthereon, and printing the image after the image processing on a printingpaper. For example, a film image of a 135 size photographic film, a 110size photographic film, a photographic film with a transparent magneticlayer formed (240 size photographic film: so-called APS film), 120 sizeand 220 size (Brownie size) photographic film, can be the object ofprocessing. A photographic film 28 is conveyed in the arrow A directionin FIG. 1 with the emulsion surface side (B photosensitive layer side)upward. In the image processing system, an image may be formed on a heatsensitive paper by heat, or on a recording medium such as an ordinarypaper by xerography or by an ink-jet.

The magnetic information reading section 12 is used for reading themagnetic information recorded in a magnetic layer formed below an imageframe of the APS film 28A in the case the photographic film 28 which isthe object of processing is an APS film as shown in FIG. 2. The magneticinformation includes, for example, film sensitivity information, andinformation related to the type of the film, such as the DX code.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, an unexposed area to be used freely by auser is provided at the leading end side and the trailing end side ofthe APS film 28A. In the present embodiment, the unexposed area at usedas a reference exposure area 32. Moreover, in the case the photographicfilm 28 is a 135 size photographic film, an unexposed area existing atthe leading end side or the trailing end side of the film as shown inFIG. 3 is used as the reference exposure area 32.

The reference exposure section 14 carries out reference exposure on thereference exposure area 32 for forming image information to be used atthe time of determining the image processing conditions. Although it ispossible to store the data obtained by reading out the image frames andreading out the image information of the reference exposure area 32after reading out all of the image frames and then to determine theimage processing conditions, since the image processing can be carriedwhile reading out the image frames by determining the image processingconditions before reading out the image frames, it is preferable tocarry out reference exposure on the reference exposure area 32 at theleading end side of the photographic film 28 for determining the imageprocessing conditions before reading out the image frames.

As shown in FIG. 4, the reference exposure section 14 comprises anexposure section 34 and an LED driver 36. The exposure section 34 isprovided with a diffusion plate 42 on the LED side of an LED substrate40 with a plurality of LEDs 38 arranged, and a wedge 44 for producing alight intensity distribution along the film conveying direction on thelight diffusion side of the diffusion plate 42.

As shown in FIG. 5, the LED substrate 40 is divided into four areas,with LEDs 46R for emitting red light (R light) arranged (R single colorexposure portion) in the uppermost area in FIG. 5, LEDs 46G for emittinggreen light (G light) arranged (G single color exposure portion) in thesecond area from the top, LEDs 46B for emitting blue light (B light)arranged (B single color exposure portion) in the third area from thetop, and LEDs 46R, LEDs 46G, and LEDs 46B arranged alternately in thelowermost area (gray exposure portion).

As to the R, G, B light amount balance in the gray exposure portion, itis preferable to determine the numbers of the LEDs 46R, the LEDs 46G,and the LEDs 46B so as to provide an approximately standard daylightcolor temperature such as D65.

The LED substrate 40 is connected with the LED driver 36. The LEDs 38 onthe LED substrate 40 emit light uniformly according to a predeterminedelectric current supply from the LED driver 36. Moreover, the LED driver36 can appropriately control the electric current to be supplied to eachLED according to the type of the film by, for example, obtaining thefilm sensitivity information from the magnetic information readingsection 12.

Light emitted from each LED is diffused by the diffusion plate 42 so asto be radiated to the photographic film 28 via the wedge. The wedge 44is for changing the exposure amount to the photographic film 28. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 4, the exposure amount can be reducedcontinuously or stepwise from the upstream side to the downstream sidein the conveying direction (arrow A direction) of the photographic film28. The exposure amount can also be enlarged continuously or stepwise.Moreover, as shown by the line 48 of FIG. 6, the upstream side in theconveying direction of the photographic film 28 of the wedge 44 can beexposed linearly in the direction substantially orthogonal to theconveying direction. The exposure amount can also be changed bygradually reducing the electric current to be supplied to each LED alongthe film conveying direction without using the wedge 44.

As shown in FIG. 6, the reference exposure area 32 of the photographicfilm 28 is subjected to reference exposure, by the reference exposuresection 14, by R light, G light, B light, and light with R light, Glight and B light mixed, that is, by gray light. Moreover, thephotographic film 28 is exposed linearly in the direction substantiallyorthogonal to the conveying direction. By detecting the line 48 as thetrigger line, it can be detected that the reference exposure area 32 hasbeen subjected to reference exposure.

As shown in FIG. 7, the reference exposure section 14 can comprise alight source such as a halogen lamp instead of the LEDs. The referenceexposure section 14 shown in FIG. 7 comprises a halogen lamp 50, with ashutter 52 disposed on the light radiation side of the halogen lamp 50.At the light outputting side of the shutter 52 are disposed, in thefollowing order, a diffusion box 56 with diffusion plates 54 mounted onthe upper and lower sides, a color separation filter 58 for separatinglight into R light, G light, and B light, and the above-described wedge44.

The color separation filter 58, which is formed by a filter fortransmitting only R light from the incident light, a filter fortransmitting only G light from the incident light, and a filter fortransmitting only B light from the incident light, is provided at aposition corresponding to the region at which the LEDs are disposed inFIG. 5. It is preferable to dispose a color temperature conversionfilter at the region at which the LEDS 46R, 46G, 46B arrangedalternately, so as to have an approximately standard daylight colortemperature such as D65. Reference exposure similar to the case of FIG.6 can thereby be carried out. Moreover, in order to reduce costs,correction can be executed based on the relationship between the halogenlamp color temperature and the D65 color temperature, without providinga filter.

Next, the black and white developing section 16 carries out black andwhite development by applying a developer for black and whitedevelopment to the photographic film 28. As shown in FIG. 8, the blackand white developing section 16 comprises an spray tank 62 for sprayingthe developer onto the photographic film 28.

A developer bottle 64 for storing the developer to be supplied to thespray tank 62 is provided below the spray tank 62, and a filter 66 forfiltering the developer is provided above the developer bottle 64.Furthermore, a liquid feeding pipe 70 provided with a pump 68 therealongconnects the developer bottle 64 and the filter 66.

Moreover, a sub tank 72 for storing a developer fed from the developerbottle 64 is provided adjacent to the spray tank 62, with a liquidfeeding pipe 74 extending from the filter 66 to the sub tank 72.

Therefore, when the pump 68 is driven, the developer is fed from thedeveloper bottle 64 to the filter 66 side, and the developer which haspassed through the filter 66 and has been filtered is fed to the subtank 72 so that the developer is stored temporarily in the sub tank 72.

Moreover, a liquid feeding pipe 76 linking the sub tank 72 and the spraytank 62 is disposed therebetween so that the developer fed from thedeveloper bottle 64 by the pump 68 via the filter 66, the sub tank 72,the liquid feeding pipe 76, or the like, is filled into the spray tank62.

A tray 80 connected with the developer bottle 64 by a circulating pipe78 is provided below the spray tank 62 such that the developeroverflowing from the spray tank 62 is collected by the tray 80 andreturned to the developer bottle 64 via the circulating pipe 78.Moreover, the circulating pipe 78 is connected with the sub tank 72 in astate in which the circulating pipe 78 projects into the sub tank 72,such that the developer stored in the sub tank 72, in excess of theamount required can be returned to the developer bottle 64.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a nozzle plate 82 formed bybending an elastically deformable rectangular thin plate is provided ata portion which is a portion of the wall surface of the spray tank 62and which faces the conveyance path E of the photographic film 28.

A plurality of nozzle holes 84 (for example, of a diameter of severaltens of μm) are formed in the nozzle plate 82 over the entirety thereofin the transverse direction of the photographic film 28 at constantintervals along a direction intersecting the conveying direction A ofthe photographic film 28, which is the longitudinal direction of thenozzle plate 82, so as to provide a nozzle rows extending linearly.Furthermore, the plurality of nozzle rows are provided in staggeredfashion on the nozzle plate 82.

That is, the plurality of the nozzle rows comprising a plurality of thenozzle holes 84 disposed linearly are provided so as to extend in thelongitudinal direction of the spray tank 62 such that the developerstored in the spray tank 62 can be ejected toward the photographic film28 from each nozzle hole 84 forming the nozzle rows.

Due to the spray of the developer from the spray tank 62, thephotographic film 28 conveyed at a substantially constant speed issubjected to black and white development.

The buffer section 18 is for absorbing the speed difference between theconveyance speed of the photographic film 28 which is a substantiallyconstant speed in the black and white developing section 16, and theconveyance speed of the photographic film 28 by to a film carrier 86described later. If the conveyance speed in the black and whitedeveloping section 16 and the conveyance speed by the film carrier 86are same, the buffer section can be eliminated.

The film scanner 12 is for reading out the image recorded on thephotographic film 28 which has been subjected to developing processingby the black and white developing section 16, and outputting the imagedata obtained by the reading. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 11, the filmscanner 12 includes the film carrier 86.

As shown in FIG. 12, a LEDs 88 are provided in a ring-like shape abovethe film carrier 86, and an illumination unit 90A for irradiating lightto the photographic film 28 is provided above the film carrier 86. Lightemitted from the illumination unit 90A is light (IR light) of aninfrared area wavelength (about a 950 nm central wavelength) as shown inFIG. 13. The illumination unit 90A is driven by an LED driver 92.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 15, an image forming lens 94A for focusinglight reflected by the B layer of the photographic film 28, and an areaCCD 96A for detecting the light reflected by the B layer of thephotographic film 28 are disposed in that order above the illuminationunit 90A along the optical axis L. As shown in FIGS. 18 and 24A, thearea CCD 96A is a monochrome CCD with a large number of CCD cells(photoelectric conversion cells) 180 which serve as photoelectricconversion elements and which have a sensitivity in the infrared areaand which are arranged like a matrix, such that the light receivingsurfaces thereof substantially coincide with the focal point of theimage forming lens 94A. The CCD cells are formed by, for example,photodiodes. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 18, the area CCD 96A is providedon a pixel displacement unit 98A serving as the moving means. The areaCCD 96A forms the reading sensor of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 18, the pixel displacement unit 98A is connected withpiezoelectric elements 101AX, 101AY to be driven by a piezoelectricdriver 99A. By vibrating the piezoelectric elements 101AX, 101AY each inthe X direction and the Y direction in FIG. 18 by the piezoelectricdriver 99A, the pixel displacement unit 98A, that is, the area CCD 96Acan be displaced in the X direction and the Y direction.

Accordingly, in a case in which the resolution of the area CCD 96A is,for example, 1.5 million pixels, as shown in FIG. 20C, by reading out animage with the area CCD 96A moved in the X1 direction, the Y1 direction,the X2 direction, and the Y2 direction successively by ½ of a pixel, theimage can be read out at a resolution of four times, that is, by 6million pixels.

Moreover, a black shutter 100A is provided between the area CCD 96A andthe image forming lens 94A.

The area CCD 96A is connected with a scanner control part 104 via a CCDdriver 102A. The scanner control part 104 comprises a CPU, a ROM (forexample, a ROM whose stored contents are rewritable), a RAM and aninput/output port, with these components connected with each other via abusses, or the like. The scanner control section 104 controls theoperation of each part of the film scanner 20. Moreover, the CCD driver102A generates a drive signal for driving the area CCD 96A forcontrolling the driving of the area CCD 96A.

An illumination unit 90B, an image forming lens 94A, an area CCD 96Bprovided on a pixel displacement unit 98B, and a CCD driver 102 areprovided in that order below the film carrier 86. These components havethe same configuration as the above-mentioned illumination unit 90A,image forming lens 94A, area CCD 96A, and CCD driver 102A, respectively.However, the area CCD 96B detects the reflected light reflected by the Rlayer of the photographic film 28 among the IR light irradiated to thephotographic film 28 by the illumination unit 90B as shown in FIG. 15,and the transmitted light transmitted through the photographic film 28among the light irradiated to the photographic film 28 by theillumination unit 90A. The area CCD 96B corresponds to the readingsensor of the present invention.

Moreover, an ND filter 106 for brightness correction is provided betweenthe illumination unit 90B and the film carrier 86. As shown in FIG. 14A,the ND filter 106 for brightness correction comprises filters 112A to112D having transmittances different from each other fitted in aplurality of (in the present embodiment, five) opening portions (exceptan opening portion 110) provided in a turret 108 rotatable in the arrowB direction.

The film carrier 86 conveys the photographic film 28 so as to positionthe image surface center of the image recorded on the photographic film28 at a position coinciding with the optical axis L (reading position).

Moreover, the film carrier 86 comprises a DX code reading sensor 114, aframe detecting sensor 116, and reflection plates 118A, 118B forbrightness correction. The DX code reading sensor 114 reads out a DXcode 120 optically recorded on the 135 size photographic film 28 asshown in FIG. 16. The frame detecting sensor 116 detects the image frameposition of the photographic film 28. Accordingly, the image surfacecenter of the image can be positioned at a position coinciding with theoptical axis L.

As shown in FIG. 14B, the reflection plates 118A, 118B for brightnesscorrection, which are disposed at positions facing the photographic film28, comprise reflection plates 126A to 126D having reflectancesdifferent from each other and fitted in a plurality of (in thisembodiment, five) opening portions (except an opening portion 124)provided on a turret 122 rotatable in the arrow C direction.

The photographic film 28 is conveyed by the film carrier 86 so as to bepositioned with the image surface center of the image recorded on thephotographic film 28 disposed at a position coinciding with the opticalaxis L (reading position). Moreover, the scanner control section 104rotates the turret 122, 108 such that the opening portion 124 of thereflection plates 118A, 118B for the brightness correction and theopening portion 110 of the ND filter 106 for the brightness correctionare provided on the optical axis L with the image positioned at thereading position. The scanner control section 104 also sets the chargeaccumulating times t1, t2 of the area CCDs 96A, 96B corresponding topredetermined reading conditions each in the CCD drivers 102A, 102B.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 17E, when the illumination unit 90A is litby the scanner control portion 104, the IR light is irradiated to the Blayer side of the photographic film 28 so that the light reflected bythe B layer of the photographic film 28 is detected by the area CCD 96Aas shown in FIG. 17A (more specifically, the photoelectrically convertedcharge is accumulated), and a signal representing the reflected lightamount is outputted from the area CCD 96A as shown in FIG. 17B.

Furthermore, light (more specifically, converted photoelectrically)transmitted through the photographic film 28 at the same time isdetected by the area CCD 96B as shown in FIG. 17C, and is outputted fromthe area CCD 96B as a signal representing the transmitted light amountas shown in FIG. 17D.

When the detection of the transmitted light and the light reflected bythe R layer is finished, as shown in FIG. 17F, the illumination unit 90Bis lit by the scanner control section 104 as shown in FIG. 17F, the IRlight is irradiated to the base layer side of the photographic film 28,and the light reflected (more specifically, converted photoelectrically)by the R layer of the photographic film 28 is detected by the area CCD96B as shown in FIG. 17C and is outputted from the area CCD 96B as asignal representing the reflected light amount as shown in FIG. 17D.

The light amounts of the lights irradiated by the illumination units90A, 90B, the lighting times t4, t5, and the charge accumulating timest1, t2, t3 by the area CCDs 96A, 96B are set optimally according to setup calculation by the control section 140 described later, and inaccordance with the type of the film, or the like.

The reflection light amount by the B layer is changed depending on thedeveloped silver amount contained in the B layer(blue-light-photosensitive layer), that is, the silver image amount inthe B layer. Therefore, the photoelectric conversion of the lightreflected by the B layer corresponds to the operation of reading theimage information of a yellow dye image obtained in the case of colordevelopment instead of black and white development. Similarly, thephotoelectric conversion of the light beam reflected by the R layer(red-light-photosensitive layer) corresponds to the operation of readingthe image information of a cyan dye image obtained in the case of colordevelopment. Moreover, the photoelectric conversion of the transmittedlight beam corresponds to the operation of reading an image which isobtained in the case of color development and in which are mixed theyellow dye image, the magenta dye image in thegreen-light-photosensitive layer, and the cyan dye image.

Signals outputted from the area CCDs 96A, 96B are amplified by amplifiercircuits 128A, 128B, and are converted to digital data representing thereflection light amount by A/D converters 130A, 130B, and are inputtedto correlation double sampling circuits (CDS) 132A, 132B. The CDSs 132A,132B sample field-through data representing the level of a field-throughsignal and pixel data representing the level of a signal for each pixel.The CDSs 132A, 132B subtract the field-through data from the pixel datafor each pixel, and output the calculation results (data accuratelycorresponding to the accumulated charge amount in each CCD cell) to theimage processing apparatus 22 as image data successively.

The image data outputted from the CDSs 132A, 132B are each inputted tobrightness and darkness correction sections 134A, 134B. Brightness anddarkness correction is carried out in the brightness and darknesscorrection sections 134A, 134B according to present darkness correctiondata and brightness correction data.

The brightness and darkness correction section 134A stores, as darknesscorrection data for each cell in an unillustrated memory, data which hasbeen inputted to the brightness and darkness correction section in astate in which the light incident side of the area CCD 96A is shut-offfrom light by the black shutter 100A (see FIG. 11) (i.e., dataexpressing the dark output level of each cell of the area CCD 96A). Thebrightness and darkness correction section 134A carries out darknesscorrection by subtracting the dark output levels of the cellscorresponding to the respective pixels form the inputted image data. Thedarkness correction data are set, for example, at the time of inspectionwhen the apparatus is initially used, or each time a predeterminedamount of time passes, or each time scanning is carried out. However, itis preferable that the darkness correction data are set at a frequencywhich enables corrections for fluctuations in the dark output level. Thedarkness correction by the brightness and darkness correction section134B can be executed in the same manner as mentioned above.

Moreover, in the case of carrying out brightness correction by thebrightness and darkness correction section 134A on image data of animage recorded on the photographic film 28 subjected to ordinary colordevelopment, first, the reflected light is read by the area CCD 96Ausing a material with a high reflectance, such as a white plate. Basedon the inputted data (the density irregularity of each pixel representedby the data is derived from the photoelectric conversion characteristicsirregularity of each cell), the gain is determined for each cell and isstored in a memory (not shown) as the brightness correction data. Then,the inputted image data of the frame image which is the object ofreading are corrected for each pixel according to the gain determinedfor each cell. The brightness correction by the brightness and darknesscorrection section 134B can be executed in the same manner as mentionedabove. Furthermore, in the case of the brightness correction by readingout transmitted light from the illumination unit 90A, the brightnesscorrection is executed in a state in which the light from theillumination unit 90A is directly received by the cells.

However, in the case of carrying out brightness correction on image dataof an image recorded on the photographic film 28 subjected to black andwhite development, if the brightness correction is carried out by usinga white plate or being directly received by the cells, an image densityobtained by the corrected image data is too bright as compared with theimage density recorded in the photographic film 28, and thus thebrightness correction cannot be executed appropriately. Therefore, it ispreferable to carry out brightness correction with the density of anunexposed portion of the photographic film 28 used as the referencedensity for the brightness correction, and with a reflection platehaving a reflection density or a filter having a transmission densityclose thereto disposed on the optical axis L. Accordingly, thebrightness correction of the photographic film 28 for which black andwhite development has been carried out, can be executed appropriately.The reference density for the brightness correction is selected by a setup calculation by the control section 140 described later.

Moreover, the brightness correction can be carried out with an unexposedportion of the photographic film 28 positioned on the optical axis.Accordingly, the ND filter 106 for brightness correction and thereflection plates 118A, 118B for brightness correction can beeliminated, and thus costs can be reduced. In this case, in reading theunexposed portion, the charge accumulating time and the light amount areset so as to be close to the saturated point (the brightest point in astate capable of having linearity) of the area CCDs 96A, 96B. Theaverage value of a plurality of reading operations of the unexposedportion in this state is stored in a memory (not shown) as thebrightness correction data.

In the case of reading with a high S/N, it is possible to carry out apre-scan for each frame and set the charge accumulating time and thelight amount using the brightest point of the frame. It is also possibleto set the charge accumulating time and the light amount based on thereading data of the unexposed portion and re-scan in an even brightercondition (with a longer accumulating time or an increased light amount)in the case the film is judged to be an overexposed negative film by thefirst scan.

The image data which has been subjected to brightness and darknesscorrection processing by the brightness and darkness correction sections134A, 134B are outputted to the image processing apparatus 22.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus comprises a framememory 136, an image processing section 138, and the control section140. The frame memory has a capacity capable of storing the image dataof the frame image of each frame so that the image data inputted fromthe film scanner 20 are stored in the frame memory 136. The image datainputted in the frame memory 136 are subjected to image processing bythe image processing section 138.

The image processing section 138 carries out various types of imageprocesses according to the processing conditions determined for eachimage by and transmitted from the control section 140.

The control section 140 comprises a CPU 142, a ROM 144 (for example, aROM whose stored contents are rewritable), a RAM 146, an input/outputport (I/O) 148, a hard disc 150, a keyboard 152, a mouse 154, and amonitor 156, with these components connected with each other via busses.The CPU 142 of the control section 140 calculates parameters of thevarious types of image processings executed in the image processingsection 138 (set up calculation) based on the read data of the referenceexposure section inputted from the frame memory 136, and outputs thesame to the image processing section 138. The calculation is carried outas follows.

For example, from the read data of the reflected light in the R singlecolor exposure area in the reference exposure area 32 and the read dataof the transmitted light in the R single color exposure area, aconversion characteristic f1 for converting from the R reflectiondensity to the R transmission density is determined. Since each exposurearea has the exposure amount gradually reduced from the conveyingdirection upstream side of the photographic film 28 as mentioned above,the data of each exposure area from the high density to the low densitycan be obtained. Therefore, for the conversion characteristic f1, bycalculating the value obtained by subtracting the reflected light readdata from the transmitted light read data, the conversion curve forconverting from the R reflection density to the R transmission densitycan be obtained. Here, given that the reflection density of R is DHR andthe transmission density of R is DTR, DTR=f1 (DHR).

Similarly, the CPU 142 determines a conversion characteristic f2 forconverting from the B reflection density to the B transmission densityfrom the read data of the reflected light in the B single color exposurearea in the reference exposure area 32, and the read data of thetransmitted light in the B single color exposure area. Here, given thatthe reflection density of B is DHB and the transmission density of B isDTB, DTB=f2 (DHB)

As shown in FIG. 19, the control section 140 outputs the data of thecalculated conversion characteristics f1, f2 to the LUT (look up table)158 of the image processing section 138. In the LUT 158, the inputtedread data of the R image and the B image are subjected to log conversionso as to be the reflection density data, and the converted reflectiondensity data are converted to the transmission density data by theconversion characteristics f1, f2. The operation of converting to thetransmission density after finding the conversion characteristics iscarried out because light passes through a layer twice in theintermediate density range so that the reflection density becomes aboutdouble as much as the transmission density, and thus the reflectiondensity and the transmission density are in a non-linear relationship ina high density range such as density saturation, such that appropriatecorrection of the gray balance or the like is not possible in the casein which reflection reading and transmission reading are both executed.

In contrast, since the G layer transmission reading data DTG areincluded in the transmission density data of the total of the R, G, Blayers, given that the transmission reading data of the total of the R,G, B layers is DTRGB, DTG=DTRGB−DTR−DTB. This calculation is carried outa MTX (matrix) circuit 160.

Assuming that there is no color mixing, the values of the R layerreflection density read out from the base layer side in the G singlecolor exposure area, and the B layer reflection density read out fromthe emulsion side become zero. This is because the R layer and the Blayer are considered to not reflect at all since the developed silverdoes not exist in the R layer and the B layer in the G single colorexposure area. However, since color mixing is generated in thereflection read data of the R layer and the B layer due to the influenceby the lower layer (in the case of the present embodiment, the G layer),unclear color reproduction is carried out as it is. Similarly, assumingthat there is no color mixing, the values of the B layer reflectiondensity and the G layer transmission density in the R single colorexposure area, and the R layer and G layer reflection densities in the Bsingle color exposure area become zero. However, color mixing occurs inactuality due to the influence by another layer as mentioned above.

By determining the transmission density of each layer in each singlecolor exposure area, the influence of the color mixing is eliminated asexplained below. First, the color mixing coefficient aij representingthe degree of the color mixing of the j color in the i color iscalculated. Here, i, j=1, 2, 3, wherein 1 denotes R, 2 denotes G, and 3denotes B, respectively.

Given that the transmission density data of R, G, B in a case in whichthere is no color mixing are R, G, B, the transmission density data R′,G′, B′ of R, G, B in a case in which there is color mixing can berepresented by the following formulas. $\begin{matrix}\begin{matrix}{R^{\prime} = \quad {R +}} & {{{a12} \cdot G} +} & {{a13} \cdot B} \\{G^{\prime} = {{{a21} \cdot R} +}} & {G +} & {{a23} \cdot B} \\{B^{\prime} = {{{a31} \cdot R} +}} & {{{a32} \cdot G} +} & B\end{matrix} & (1) \\{\begin{pmatrix}R^{\prime} \\G^{\prime} \\B^{\prime}\end{pmatrix} = {\begin{pmatrix}1 & {a12} & {a13} \\{a21} & 1 & {a23} \\{a31} & {a32} & 1\end{pmatrix}\quad \begin{pmatrix}R \\G \\B\end{pmatrix}}} & (2)\end{matrix}$

Here, the color mixing coefficients a12, a32 can be determined from thetransmission density DTR of the R layer in the G single color exposurearea and the transmission density DTB of the B layer. Similarly, thecolor mixing coefficients a13, a23 can be determined from thetransmission density DTR of the R layer in the B single color exposurearea and the transmission density DTG of the G layer. Furthermore, thecolor mixing coefficients a21, a31 can be determined from thetransmission density DTB of the B layer in the R single color exposurearea and the transmission density DTG of the G layer.

The CPU 142 calculates the inverse matrix of the formula (2) comprisingthe above-mentioned color mixing coefficients so as to determine a colorcorrection coefficient, and outputs the same to the MTX circuit 160. Itis also possible to determine the color correction coefficients bypreliminarily exposing an optional color chart and optimizing the readdata thereof and a color reproduction target value by the least squaresmethod or the like without carrying out the R, G, B single colorexposure. Moreover, although the color correction is executed above by a3×3 matrix, it is also possible to carry out color correction moreaccurately by a 3×10 matrix.

The MTX circuit 160 calculates the data each for R, G, B in which thereis no color mixing by using the correction coefficients, and outputs thesame to a LUT 162. The LUT 162 carries out gray balance correction andcontrast correction. The CPU 142 determines the parameters for carryingout the gray balance correction and the contrast correction.

That is, a conversion characteristic f3 is determined from the grayexposure area reading data of the reference exposure area 32 and apredetermined target gray density. However, in usual photography, alight source of various color temperatures is used, and the gray balancecannot be corrected sufficiently from the gray exposure area readingdata of the reference exposure area 32. Therefore, the light sourcecorrection coefficient of the photographing light source is estimatedfor each frame and is outputted to the LUT 162. That is, the LUT 162carries out the gray balance correction with the conversioncharacteristic f3 as the reference for the gradation conversioncharacteristics, and also carries out gradation balance correction bycorrection with the light source correction coefficient. Moreover,because the contrast of black and white development differs from thecontrast of the reference color development, the contrast correction isexecuted.

The image data applied for which gray balance correction and contrastcorrection have been carried out are enlarged or reduced by apredetermined ratio by an enlarging/reducing section 164, are subjectedto a dodging process by an automatic dodging section 166, and aresubjected to sharpness enhancement processing by a sharpness enhancementsection 168.

The image data which have been subjected to image processing in this wayare converted to image data to be displayed on the monitor 154 by a 3D(three-dimensional) LUT color conversion section 170, as well as areconverted to image data to be printed on a printing paper in the printersection 24 by a 3D LUT conversion section 172.

The printer section 24 comprises, for example, an image memory, R, G, Blaser light sources, a laser driver for controlling the operation of thelaser light sources, or the like (all not shown). The recording imagedata inputted from the image processing apparatus 22 are read out afterbeing stored temporarily in the image memory, and are used for themodulation of the R, G, B laser light outputted from the laser lightsources. The laser light outputted from the laser light sources scan theprinting paper via a polygon mirror and an fθ lens so that an image isexposed and recorded on the printing paper. The printing paper with theimage exposed and recorded thereon is fed to the processor section 26 soas to be subjected to color developing, bleaching fixing, washing withwater, and drying processes. Accordingly, the image exposed and recordedon the printing paper is made visible.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be explained with anexample of a case of processing an APS film.

First, prior to the processing the photographic film 28, theabove-described brightness and darkness correction is executed and thebrightness correction data and the darkness correction data are set in amemory (not shown) in the brightness and darkness correction sections134A, 134B.

When the photographed photographic film (APS film) 28 is conveyed in thearrow A direction in FIG. 1, the magnetic information recorded in themagnetic layer 30, that is, the information concerning the type of thefilm, such as the film sensitivity, is read out in the magneticinformation reading section 12.

Next, the reference exposure area 32 of the photographic film 28provided at the leading end side of the photographic film 28 as theunexposed area is subjected to reference exposure from the low densityrange to the high density range for the R, G, B, and gray colors asshown in FIG. 6.

The photographic film 28, on which reference exposure has been carriedout by the reference exposure section 14, is subjected to black andwhite development by the black and white developing section 16.Accordingly, the silver halide exposed by the photography in each of theR, G, and B layers in the photographic film 28 is developed so as toform a silver image of each color.

The photographic film 28 which has been subjected to black and whitedevelopment is conveyed to the film scanner 20 via the buffer section18. When the reference exposure area 32 is detected by the framedetecting sensor 116, the center part of the reference exposure area 32is positioned so as to be on the optical axis L.

The turrets 108, 122 are rotated by the scanner control section 104 soas to have the opening portion 110 of the ND filter 106 for brightnesscorrection and the opening portion 124 of the reflecting plates 118A,118B for brightness correction positioned on the optical axis L.

Next, the scanner control section 104 sets the charge accumulating timest1, t2, t3 for the CCD drivers 102A, 102B, and lights the illuminationunits 90A, 90B for the lighting times t4, t5 so as to irradiate the IRlight onto the photographic film 28. Accordingly, the reference exposurearea 32 is read out by the area CCDs 96A, 96B. That is, the reflectedlight of the B layer is detected by the area CCD 96A, and the reflectedlight of the R layer and the transmitted light of each layer aredetected by the area CCD 96B.

The detected signals are amplified by the amplifier circuits 128A, 128B,converted to digital data by the A/D converters 130A, 130B, outputted tothe brightness and darkness correction sections 134A, 134B via the CDSs132A, 132B, and are subjected to brightness and darkness correctionprocessing by the brightness and darkness correction sections 134A,134B.

The image data which has been subjected to brightness and darknesscorrection processing are outputted to the frame memory of the imageprocessing apparatus 22, and are outputted to the control section 140.The CPU 142 of the control section 140 determines the conversioncharacteristic f1 for converting from the R reflection density to the Rtransmission density from the reflected light read data of the R singlecolor exposure area in the reference exposure area 32 and thetransmission light reading data, and determines the conversioncharacteristic f2 for converting the B reflection density to the Btransmission density from the reflected light read data of the B singlecolor exposure area in the reference exposure area 32 and thetransmission light read data, and sets the conversion characteristicsf1, f2 in the LUT 158.

Next the CPU 142 calculates the color mixing coefficient from thetransmission density data of each single color exposure area determinedby the conversion characteristics f1, f2, calculates the inverse matrixof the matrix comprising the color mixing coefficient so as to determinethe color correction coefficient, and outputs the same to the MTXcircuit 160. Next, the CPU 142 determines the conversion characteristicf3 from the gray exposure area read data of the reference exposure area32 and a predetermined target gray density, and sets the same in the LUT162.

Accordingly, the parameters for carrying out corrections such as thecolor correction and the gray balance are calculated based on thereference exposure data, and are set in the image processing section138.

When the operation of reading the reference exposure area 32 isfinished, the image frame 1 is positioned so as to be on the opticalaxis L so that the reading of the image frame 1 is carried out similarlyto the reading of the reference exposure area 32, and the image data isoutputted to the image processing apparatus 22.

Then, image processing is carried out in the image processing section138 under the conditions set by the control section 140. That is, theinputted data of the R image and the B image are each subjected to logconversion by the LUT 158, and the converted data are converted to thetransmission density data according to the conversion characteristicsf1, f2.

Next, the inputted image data are subjected to color correction in theMTX circuit 160 by the color correction coefficient so as to calculatedata for R, G, B without color mixing. Then, the gray balance correctionand the contrast correction are carried out by the LUT 162 with theconversion characteristic f3 as the reference of the gradationconversion characteristics. If necessary, the gray balance correctionmay include the gradation balance correction by the light sourcecorrection coefficient.

The image data, for which gray balance correction and contrastcorrection have been carried out, are enlarged or reduced by apredetermined ratio by the enlarging/reducing section 164, are subjectedto dodging processing by the automatic dodging section 166, and aresubjected to sharpness enhancement processing by the sharpnessenhancement section 168.

The image data which have been subjected to image processing in thismanner are converted to image data to be displayed on the monitor 154 bythe 3DLUT color conversion section 170, as well as are converted toimage data to be printed on a printing paper in the printer section 24by the 3DLUT conversion section 172.

The image data which have been subjected to these image processings areexposed on a printing paper by the printer section 24. The printingpaper with the image exposed thereon according to the image data is fedto the processor section 26 so as to be subjected to color developing,bleaching fixing, washing with water, and drying processes. Accordingly,the image exposed and recorded on the printing paper is made visible.The images recorded on the image frames are read out successively andare subjected to image processings and are printed on a printing paper.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since the unexposed areaprovided on the leading end part of the APS film is subjected toreference exposure by light of each color and the color correction andthe gradation conversion characteristic correction are carried out basedon the read data of the area subjected to reference exposure, even inthe case of applying black and white development to a color photographicfilm, color reproduction and gradation reproduction can be realizedappropriately regardless of the type of the film, the aging, and thechange of the developing conditions.

Moreover, since the common area CCD is used for the transmission readingand the reflection reading of the R layer, the configuration can besimplified and the positioning of the reading means can be simplified.

In the case of a 135 film, since the unexposed area to be used freely bythe user is not defined as is the case with an APS film, the top frameposition cannot be detected without development. Therefore, there is therisk of exposing the leading frame inadvertently when carrying outreference exposure as mentioned above, and thus it is not preferable.

Therefore, in the case of a 135 film, the image processing conditionssuch as the color correction conditions and the gradation correctionconditions, and the reading control conditions such as the light sourcelight amount, the light source lighting time, and the area CCD chargeaccumulating time are set preliminarily for each type of film, or eachchannel in which a plurality of types of films are grouped together. Theconditions are stored in the hard disc 150 and the DX code is read outby the DX code reading sensor 114. Image reading or image processing iscarried out in accordance with the image processing conditions and thereading control conditions corresponding to the DX code.

These conditions are set, for example, as follows. That is, as shown inFIG. 20, with the menu indicated on the monitor 156, when an operatorselects the channel registration of No. 6 from the menu, the channelregistration screen is displayed. The operator requests the input of thechannel number and the channel name, and setting of an unexposed film.Here, if the operator sets an unexposed film on the apparatus and inputsan arbitrary channel number and channel name, the above-describedreference exposure is carried out by the reference exposure section 14so as to calculate the image processing conditions and the readingcontrol conditions and store the calculated conditions in the hard disc150.

Moreover, among 135 films, for those without a DX code or those with alow usage ratio, the unexposed portion is read out for calculating theimage processing conditions and the reading control conditions from thereading data. Since the gray balance condition of the film is reflectedsubstantially appropriately in the unexposed portion in most cases, bysetting the LUT 162 so as to have the unexposed portion read datacoincide with the target gray value, the gray balance can besubstantially corrected. Since the unexposed portion of the colorphotographic film after black and white development differssignificantly depending on the type of the film, using the unexposedportion read data is particularly effective. However, since gradationbalance irregularity and contract cannot be corrected thereby, for thegradation conversion characteristic f3 and the color correctioncoefficient, a default value needs to be used, or automatic setting fromthe image data of the frame images is needed.

That is, processing of a 135 film is as follows. For example, as shownin FIG. 21, the DX code is obtained in the step 200. Whether or not achannel corresponding to the DX code is registered, that is, whether ornot the image processing conditions and the reading conditionscorresponding to the DX code are stored in the hard disc 150, is judgedin the next step 202.

Then, in the case the channel is judged to be registered, the answer tothe determination in step 202 is affirmative, and in step 204, the imageprocessing conditions and the reading conditions corresponding to theobtained DX code are read out from the hard disc 150 and are set in theimage processing section 138.

In contrast, in the case the channel is judged to be not registered, theanswer to the determination in step 202 is negative. In step 206, theunexposed portion is read out, the reading control conditions arecalculated from the reading data, and the image is read in accordancewith the reading conditions.

As mentioned above, if the channel is registered, although aging orchanges in the developing conditions cannot be addressed, correction canbe carried out in accordance with the characteristic differencedepending on the type of the film.

The color correction coefficient expressing the color correctionconditions in the image processing can be determined in advance, forexample, as follows. That is, an undeveloped film with a plurality of(for example, two frames of) latent images of the same design formed isprepared by continuously photographing the same subject with the samecamera using a commercially available color negative film. It ispreferable to photograph in the two conditions of standard exposure andoverexposure in order to see the influence of the film density on imagequality.

One of the frames is developed with a black and white developer, andafter development, is dried without bleaching, fixing, or washing withwater so as to obtain a black and white developed film. The black andwhite developed film is colored in black and white, and thus does notseem to have the color information at first sight. However, the image ofthe black and white developed film read out from the back side and theimage read out from the front side differ, and the color information isincluded. The other frame is developed with a color developer, and afterthe development, is subjected to bleaching, fixing, washing with waterand drying so as to obtain a color developed film. The image of thecolor developed film serves as the target image.

Next, the image recorded on the black and white developed film is readout by the film scanner from three directions. That is, with light (inthe present embodiment, IR light) irradiated onto the emulsion layerside and the supporting member side of the black and white developedfilm, the reflected images of the upper photographic photosensitivelayer (B layer) and of the lower photographic photosensitive layer (Rlayer) are read out respectively by the light reflected thereby. Thetransmitted image, in which are combined the images of the photographicphotosensitive layer of the B layer, the photographic photosensitivelayer of the R layer, and the photographic photosensitive layer of theintermediate layer (G layer), is read out by the light transmittedthrough the black and white developed film.

Then, the data Br, Rr, RGBt of the reflected images of the B layer andthe R layer and the transmitted image of the RGB layers are taken outfor correcting the pixel coordinates so as to superimpose the threeimages. In particular, since the R layer reflected image is reversed atthe time of reading, it is superimposed after the left and right sidesthereof are reversed. The images are superimposed by setting a referencepoint in the images for rotation conversion and parallel movement of theimages such that the coordinates of the reference points can coincide.The data Br, Rr, RGBt, which are taken out from the film scanner andwhich are subjected to coordinate conversion for the superimposition,are subjected to linear conversion by a converter for converting thegray scale to the linear, and are inputted to a regression calculationapparatus as the data Br′, Rr′, RGBt′.

Moreover, the image recorded in each photographic layer of the colordeveloped film is separated into three colors and read out by the filmscanner as the transmitted image. The read data R, G, B are eachsubjected to linear conversion by the converter so that the data R′, G′,B′ are inputted to the regression calculation apparatus as the targetvalues.

In the regression calculation apparatus, the regression analysis isexecuted so as to have the linearly-converted data Rr′, RGBt′, Br′ ofthe three layers coincide with the target values R′, G′, B′ forcalculating the parameters. Since the data Rr′, RGBt′, Br′ read out fromthe black and white developed film are not separated into the colorcomponents (RGB components), the process for separating into the colorcomponents is executed with the color of the image recorded on the colordeveloped film as the standard.

That is, in the regression calculation apparatus, for each of the R, G,B three colors, 10 parameters ak to jk (k=1, 2, 3, wherein 1 denotes R,2 denotes G, and 3 denotes B, respectively) as shown in the followingformula are set, and the parameters of a 3×10 matrix for converting Rr′,RGBt′, Br′ into the target values R′, G′, B′ are determined by statisticcalculation.

Formula (3) is as follows: $\begin{matrix}{R^{\prime} = \quad {{a1Rr}^{\prime} + {b1RGBt}^{\prime} + {c1Br}^{\prime} + {{d1Rr}^{\prime}2} + {{e1RGBt}^{\prime}2} +}} \\{\quad {{{{f1} \cdot {Br}^{\prime}}2} + {{g1Rr}^{\prime} \cdot {RGBt}^{\prime}} + {{h1RGBt}^{\prime} \cdot {Br}^{\prime}} +}} \\{\quad {{{i1Br}^{\prime} \cdot {Rr}^{\prime}} + {j1}}}\end{matrix}$ $\begin{matrix}{G^{\prime} = \quad {{a2Rr}^{\prime} + {b2RGBt}^{\prime} + {c2Br}^{\prime} + {{d2Rr}^{\prime}2} + {{e2RGBt}^{\prime}2} +}} \\{\quad {{{{f2} \cdot {Br}^{\prime}}2} + {{g2Rr}^{\prime} \cdot {RGBt}^{\prime}} + {{h2RGBt}^{\prime} \cdot {Br}^{\prime}} +}} \\{\quad {{{i2Br}^{\prime} \cdot {Rr}^{\prime}} + {j2}}}\end{matrix}$ $\begin{matrix}{B^{\prime} = \quad {{a3Rr}^{\prime} + {b3RGBt}^{\prime} + {c3Br}^{\prime} + {{d3Rr}^{\prime}2} + {{e3RGBt}^{\prime}2} +}} \\{\quad {{{{f3} \cdot {Br}^{\prime}}2} + {{g3Rr}^{\prime} \cdot {RGBt}^{\prime}} + {{h3RGBt}^{\prime} \cdot {Br}^{\prime}} +}} \\{\quad {{{i3Br}^{\prime} \cdot {Rr}^{\prime}} + {{j2}.}}}\end{matrix}$

Although the parameter matrix is a 3×10 matrix in the above example, a3×3 matrix or a 3×9 matrix can be used as well.

Accordingly the above-mentioned parameters are calculated for each filmtype. The obtained parameters are stored in the hard disc 150, and a3×10 matrix corresponding to the type of the film to be processed isoutputted to the MTX 160 as the color correction coefficient.Accordingly, the color correction is carried out in the MTX 160.

Although a structure using an area CCD is explained in the presentembodiment, the present invention can be applied to a structure using aline CCD. In this case, the sub scanning speed including the conveyancespeed of the photographic film 28 should be controlled as a readingcontrol condition according to the charge accumulating time.

Although the example of forming a silver image by the black and whitedevelopment is explained above, the silver image may include the dyeimage information as long as it is substantially a silver image, i.e.,as long as 60% or more of the image density derives from the developedsilver, it can be adopted. Therefore, a silver image including dyeinformation obtained by subjecting a color film to color development canbe used.

In the case a color film is subjected to the color development, only thesilver image can be read out from the silver image including the dyeinformation by using an infrared light without reading the dyeinformation. It is also possible to read out the dye information byproviding a light source for the upper layer for irradiating, onto theupper photographic photosensitive layer, light of the complementarycolor of the dye contained in the silver image in the upper photographicphotosensitive layer; a light source for the lower layer forirradiating, onto the lower photographic photosensitive layer side,light of the complementary color of the dye contained in the silverimage in the photographic photosensitive layer of the lower layer; alight source for the intermediate layer for irradiating, on to the upperphotographic photosensitive layer side or the lower photographicphotosensitive layer side, light of the complementary color of the dyecontained in the silver image in the photographic photosensitive layerof the intermediate layer; and a reading sensor for reading out theimage information by light reflected from the upper layer and the lowerlayer of the color photographic film, and light transmitted through thecolor photographic film. Specifically, by using the R light to detectthe reflected light, the image information related to the cyan dye imageand the silver image in the red-light-photosensitive layer can beobtained. By using the G light to detect the transmitted light, theimage information including the image information related to the magentadye image and the silver image in the green-light-photosensitive layercan be obtained. By using the B light to detect the reflected light, theimage information related to the yellow dye image and the silver imagein the blue-light-photosensitive layer can be obtained.

As heretofore explained, according to the present invention, theappropriate color reproduction can be achieved even for an imagerecorded on a color photographic photosensitive material which isprocessed such that a silver image is formed.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be explained. The samecomponents as in the first embodiment are denoted by the same numerals,and further explanation thereof is not given.

Like the first embodiment, also in the second embodiment, thephotographic film 28 is conveyed by the film carrier 86 so as to bepositioned at a position (reading position) with the image surfacecenter of the image provided on the optical axis L. Moreover, with theimage positioned at the reading position, the scanner control section104 rotates the turrets 122, 108 so as to have the opening portion 124of the reflecting plates 118A, 118B for brightness correction and theopening portion 110 of the ND filter 106 for brightness correction eachon the optical axis L. The scanner control section 104 sets the chargeaccumulating times t11, t12, t13 of the area CCDs 96A, 96B correspondingto predetermined reading conditions in the CCD drivers 102A, 102B. Thearea CCDs 96A, 96B carry out photoelectric conversion on the reflectedlight from the emulsion surface side (B layer side) of the photographicfilm 28, the reflected light from the base surface (R layer side), andthe transmitted light transmitted through the photographic film 28 bythe set charge accumulating times so as to accumulate the charges whichhave been subjected to photographic conversion.

The CCDs have a better S/N ratio in reading in a bright condition in thearea having a linearity in the output signal thereof, and a poor S/Nratio in reading in a dark condition. Therefore, it is preferable to setthe reading conditions so as to have the brightest point of the read outimage close to the saturated point (the brightest point in the staterange of having the linearity). However, such setting has been difficultin reflection reading.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, in the reflection reading, duringthe charge accumulation, the pixel displacement is executed in the X1direction, the Y1 direction, the X2 direction and the Y2 directionsuccessively as shown in FIG. 24B. That is, the charge of the areasurrounded by the solid line in FIG. 24B is accumulated. Accordingly,substantially only ¼ of the light amount is needed so that the readingcondition can be set with the brightest point of the read out imageclose to the saturated point of the CCD, without irradiating a largeamount of light, and the S/N ratio can be improved. Furthermore, theapparent opening of the light receiving part of the CCD can be widenedso that aliasing can be suppressed. In the case of transmission reading,ordinary pixel displacement is executed for reading at a highresolution.

That is, as shown in FIG. 22I, when the illumination unit 90A is lit bythe scanner control section 104, IR light is irradiated to the B layerside of the photographic film 28, and the light beam reflected by the Blayer of the photographic film 28 is detected by the area CCD 96A asshown in FIG. 22A (specifically, the photoelectrically-converted chargeis accumulated). During the charge accumulation, the piezoelectricdriver 99A vibrates the piezoelectric elements 101AX, 101AY as shown inFIGS. 22B, 22C so as to move the area CCD 96A in the X1 direction, theY1 direction, the X2 direction, and the Y2 direction successively asshown in FIG. 24B. The charge accordingly accumulated is read out fromthe area CCD 96A as a signal representing the reflected light amount asshown in FIG. 22D.

Moreover, at the same time, the piezoelectric driver 99B vibrates thepiezoelectric elements 101BX, 101BY as shown in FIGS. 22F, 22G so as tomove the area CCD 96B in the X1 direction, the Y1 direction, the X2direction, and the Y2 direction successively as shown in FIG. 24C. Ateach movement, the light transmitted through the photographic film 28 isdetected (specifically, photoelectrically converted) by the area CCD 96Bas shown in FIG. 17E and is read out from the area CCD 96B as a signalrepresenting the reflected light amount as shown in FIG. 22H.

When the detection of the transmitted light and the reflected light ofthe R layer is finished as shown in FIG. 22J so that the illuminationunit 90B is lit by the scanner control part 104, IR light is irradiatedto the base layer side of the photographic film 28, and the lightreflected by the R layer of the photographic film 28 is detected(specifically, photoelectrically converted) by the area CCD 96B as shownin FIG. 22E. During the charge accumulation, the piezoelectric driver99B vibrates the piezoelectric elements 101BX, 101BY as shown in FIGS.22F, 22G so as to move the area CCD 96B in the X1 direction, the Y1direction, the X2 direction, and the Y2 direction successively as shownin FIG. 24B. The charge accordingly accumulated is read out from thearea CCD 96B as a signal representing the reflected light amount asshown in FIG. 22H.

In this way, the light reflected by the R layer and the B layer is readout at a low resolution, and the transmitted light is read out at a highresolution.

The light amount of the light irradiated by the illumination units 90A,90B, the lighting times t14, t15, and the charge accumulating times t11,t12, t13 by the area CCDs 96A, 96B are set optimally by the set upcalculation by the control section 140, in accordance with the type ofthe film or the like.

Similarly to the first embodiment, image data processing is executed sothat the image data inputted from the film scanner 20 are stored in theframe memory 136. The image data inputted in the frame memory 136, thatis, the base layer reflection reading data, the emulsion surfacereflection reading data, and the transmission reading data, areoutputted to the image processing section 138 and the control section140 as shown in FIG. 23.

The image processing section 138 executes various types of imageprocesses according to the processing conditions determined for eachimage and notified by the control section 140. Since the base layerreflection reading data and the emulsion surface reflection reading dataare read out at a low resolution and the transmission data are read outat a high resolution, first, the pixel positions and the image sizes ofthe data are matched by enlarging/reducing sections 157A, 157B, and157C. In a case in which electronic magnification changing is carriedout in the enlarging/reducing section 157C on the transmission readingdata which has been inputted with an electronic variable magnificationof m, the electronic magnification changing is executed in theenlarging/reducing sections 157A, 157B with an electronic variablemagnification of 2m. Accordingly, the pixel positions and the image sizeof the base layer reflection read data and emulsion surface reflectionread data read out at a low resolution and the transmission read dataread out at a high resolution can be matched.

Next, in the same way as in the first embodiment, the conversioncharacteristics f1 and f2 are determined in the CPU 142 of the controlsection 140.

The control section 140 outputs the data of the determined conversionelectronic characteristics f1, f2 to the LUTs (look up tables) 158A,158B of the image processing section 138. The LUTS 158A, 158B subjectthe inputted read data of the R image and the B image to the logconversion so as to obtain reflection density data, and converts theconverted reflection density data to transmission density data by theconversion characteristics f1, f2. The operation of converting to thetransmission density after determining the conversion characteristics isexecuted because light passes through a layer twice in the intermediatedensity range so that the reflection density becomes about twice as muchas the transmission density, and thus the reflection density and thetransmission density are in a non-linear relationship in a high densityrange such as the density saturation. Thus, appropriate correction ofthe gray balance or the like in the case that reflection reading andtransmission reading are both executed is not possible. In the LUT 158C,the inputted transmission read data are subjected to log conversion soas to obtain the transmission density data.

The low frequency components of the transmission density data obtainedin this way are extracted by LPFs (low pass filters) 159A, 159B, 159Cand outputted to the MTX (matrix) circuit 160. The transmission readdata from which the low frequency component has been extracted by theLPF 159C is outputted also to a subtracting section 161. The subtractingsection 161 subtracts the transmission read data of the low frequencycomponent outputted from the LPF 159C from the transmission density databefore extraction of the low frequency component outputted from the LUT158C so as to obtain the transmission density data of the high frequencycomponent.

The transmission density data of the high frequency component issubjected to graininess suppressing processing and the sharpnessenhancing processing by the sharpness enhancing section 168. Sincesharpness enhancement processing is executed using only the data fromthe transmission reading signal without using the data from thereflection reading signal, an image having good sharpness can beobtained. Moreover, since the high frequency component signal isobtained from the transmission reading signal obtained from the area CCD96B, color offset can be suppressed.

For the graininess enhancement processing process and the sharpnessenhancement processing, a method of realizing unsharp masking processingby a non-linear LUT can be used. As shown in FIG. 25, by cutting asignal whose absolute value is smaller than a predetermined thresholdvalue th in an input signal, graininess can be suppressed. By making theratio of an input signal, whose absolute value is thereof the same as orlarger than the threshold value th, and an output signal, that is, theslope, 1 or more, the sharpness is enhanced. Moreover, by using, forexample, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open(JP-A) No. 9-22460, suppression of graininess and enhancement ofsharpness can be executed with higher accuracy.

The high frequency component signal which has been subjected tosharpness enhancement processing is combined with a low frequency signalsubjected to the processes (to be described later) carried out by theMTX circuit 160, the LUT 162, and the automatic dodging section 166 byan adding section That is, given that the original signal of thetransmission density data is S and the low frequency component signal isU, the image signal S′ after correction can be represented by thefollowing formula:

S′=U+f(S−U)  (4).

Here, the function f is a function as shown in FIG. 25, in which asignal whose absolute value is smaller than a predetermined threshold thin an input signal having been cut, and in which the ratio of an inputsignal, whose absolute value is the same as or larger than the thresholdth, and an output signal being 1 or more.

Moreover, the image signal S′ after correction can also be obtained asfollows. That is, as shown in FIG. 27, the signal from the LUTs 158A to158C is outputted directly to the MTX 160, and only the low frequencycomponent signal is removed by the LPF 159 from the original signaloutputted from the LUT 158C. Then, the low frequency component signal issubtracted from the original signal outputted from the LUT 158C by thesubtracting section 161, and sharpness enhancement is carried out on theremoved high frequency component signal by the sharpness enhancementsection 168. The high frequency component signal which has beensubjected to sharpness enhancement is, by the adding section 147,combined with a low frequency signal which has been subjected toprocesses (to be described later) which are carried out by the MTXcircuit 160, the LUT 162, and the automatic dodging section 166.

In this case, the image signal S′ after correction can be represented bythe following formula:

S′=S+f(S−U)  (5).

In contrast, in a similar way as in the first embodiment, the graybalance correction and the contrast correction are carried out from thetransmission read data.

The image data which has been subjected to gray balance correction andcontrast correction is subjected to dodging processing by the automaticdodging section 166. Then, the low frequency component image data whichhas been subjected to automatic dodging processing are, by the addingsection 147, combined with the high frequency component image data whichhas been subjected to sharpness enhancement in the sharpness enhancingsection 168. The LPF 159, the subtracting section 161, the addingsection 167, and the sharpness emphasizing section 168 correspond to thegenerating means according to the present invention.

The image data accordingly which have been subjected to imageprocessings in this way are converted to image data to be displayed onthe monitor 154 by a 3D (three-dimensional) LUT color conversion section170 as well as to image data to be printed on a printing paper in theprinter section 24 by a 3DLUT conversion section 172.

Similar to the first embodiment, the operation of the present embodimentwill be explained with an example of a case of processing an APS film.

Like the first embodiment, the central portion of the reference exposurearea 32 of the photographic film 28 which has been subjected to blackand white development is positioned on the optical axis L.

Then, the turrets 108, 122 are rotated so as to have the opening portion110 of the ND filter 106 for brightness correction and the openingportion 124 of the reflection plates 118A, 118B for brightnesscorrection on the optical axis L by the scanner control section 104.

Next, the scanner control section 104 sets the charge accumulating timest11, t12, t13 for the CCD drivers 102A, 102B, and lights theillumination units 90A, 90B for the lighting times t14, t15 so as toirradiate IR light onto the photographic film 28. Accordingly, thereference exposure area 32 is read out by the area CCDs 96A, 96B. Thatis, the reflected light of the B layer is detected by the area CCD 96A,and the reflected light of the R layer and the transmitted light of eachlayer are detected by the area CCD 96B.

The detected signals are amplified by the amplifier circuits 128A, 128B,converted to digital data by the A/D converters 130A, 130B, outputted tothe brightness and darkness correction sections 134A, 134B via the CDSs132A, 132B, and subjected to brightness and darkness correctionprocessing by brightness and darkness correction sections 134A, 134B.

The image data applied subjected to brightness and darkness correctionprocessing are outputted to the frame memory of the image processingapparatus 22, and are outputted to the control section 140. The CPU 142of the control section 140 determines the conversion characteristic f1for converting from the R reflection density to the R transmissiondensity from the reflected light read data of the R single colorexposure area in the reference exposure area 32 and the transmissionlight read data, and the conversion characteristic f2 for converting theB reflection density to the B transmission density from the reflectedlight read data of the B single color exposure area in the referenceexposure area 32 and the transmission light read data, and sets thedetermined conversion characteristics f1, f2 in the LUTs 158A, 158B.

Next the CPU 142 calculates the color mixing coefficient from thetransmission density data of each single color exposure area determinedby the conversion characteristics f1, f2, calculates the inverse matrixof the matrix comprising the color mixing coefficient so as to determinethe color correction coefficient, and outputs the same to the MTXcircuit 160. Next, the CPU 142 determines the conversion characteristicf3 from the gray exposure area read data of the reference exposure area32 and a predetermined target gray density, and sets the same in the LUT162.

Accordingly, the parameters for executing the corrections such as colorcorrection, gray balance correction and contrast correction arecalculated based on the reference exposure data, and are set in theimage processing section 138.

When the operation of reading the reference exposure area 32 isfinished, the image frame 1 is positioned so as to be on the opticalaxis L and the operation of reading the image frame 1 is carried out.That is, the reflection reading of the photographic film 28 on the basesurface side is executed at a low resolution by the area CCD 96A, thereflection reading of the photographic film 28 on the base surface sideis executed at a low resolution by the area CCD 96B, and thetransmission reading on the base surface side is executed at a highresolution. These read data are subjected to brightness and darknessprocessing and the like, and are outputted to the image processingapparatus 22.

In the image processing apparatus 22, first, the pixel positions and theimage sizes of the data are matched by the enlarging/reducing sections157A, 157B, and 157C. In the case that electronic magnification changingis carried out in the enlarging/reducing section 157C for thetransmission read data inputted with an electronic variablemagnification of m, electronic magnification changing is carried out inthe enlarging/reducing sections 157A, 157B with an electronic variablemagnification of 2m. Accordingly, the pixel positions and the imagesizes of the base layer reflection read data read out at a lowresolution and the transmission read data read out at a high resolutioncan be matched.

Then, image processings are carried out by the image processing section138 under the conditions set by the control section 140. That is, theinputted reflection density data of the R image and the B image are eachsubjected to log conversion by the LUTs 158A, 158B, and the converteddata are converted to transmission density data according to theconversion characteristics f1, f2. Moreover, the inputted transmissionread data are subjected to the log conversion by the LUT 158C.

Next, the low frequency components of the transmission density data areextracted by the LPFs 159A, 159B, 159C and outputted to the MTX circuit160. The transmission read data from which the low frequency componenthas been extracted by the LPF 159C are outputted also to the subtractingsection 161. The subtracting section 161 subtracts the transmission readdata of the low frequency component outputted from the LPF 159C from thetransmission density data before the extraction of the low frequencycomponent outputted from the LUT 158C, so as to obtain the transmissiondensity data of the high frequency component. The transmission densitydata of the high frequency component are subjected to graininesssuppressing processing and enhancement processing by the sharpnessenhancement processing by the sharpness enhancement section 168.

In contrast, the image data of the low frequency component are subjectedto color correction with the color correction coefficient by the MTXcircuit 160 so as to calculate R, G, B data without color mixing. TheLUT 162 carries out gray balance correction and contrast correction withthe conversion characteristic f3 as a reference for the gradationconversion characteristics. The gray balance correction may, ifnecessary, include gradation balance correction carried out by using thelight source correction coefficient.

The image data subjected to gray balance correction are enlarged orreduced by a predetermined magnification by the enlarging/reducingsection 164, and are subjected to dodging processing by the automaticdodging section 166. The low frequency component image data subjected tothe automatic dodging processing are, by the adding part 167, combinedwith the high frequency image data which has been subjected to sharpnessenhancement processing by the sharpness enhancement section 168.

The image data subjected to image processings in this way are convertedto image data to be displayed on the monitor 154 by the 3DLUT colorconversion section 170 as well as converted to image data to be printedon a printing paper in the printer section 24 by the 3DLUT conversionsection 172.

The image data subjected to the image processing are exposed on aprinting paper by the printer section 24. The printing paper with theimage exposed thereon according to the image data is fed to theprocessor section 26 so as to be subjected to color developing,bleaching fixing, washing with water, and drying processes. Accordingly,the image exposed and recorded on the printing paper is made visible.The images recorded on the image frames are read out successively,undergo image processings, and are printed on a printing paper.

Since the pixel displacement is executed during the charge accumulationin the reflection reading in the present embodiment, substantially only¼ of the light amount is needed so that the reading conditions can beset so as to have the brightest point of the read out image close to thesaturated point of the CCD, without irradiating a large amount of light,and the S/N ratio can be improved. Furthermore, the apparent opening ofthe light receiving portion of the CCD can be widened so that thealiasing can be suppressed.

Moreover, since the sharpness enhancement processing is executed usingonly the data from the transmission reading signal without using thedata from the reflection reading signal at the time of the reflectionreading, an image can be obtained with a better sharpness. Moreover,since the high frequency component signal is obtained from thetransmission reading signal obtained from the area CCD 96B, color offsetcan be suppressed.

The B image density is a high density due to the inherent absorption ofthe silver halide. Moreover, the reading load is considered to belighter in the reflection reading than in the transmission readingbecause of the residual yellow filter, or the like. Thus, reflectionreading it is effective in cases in which reading without fixation andbleaching is preferable for achieving a higher speed in colordevelopment.

In this case, the illumination units 90A, 90B can be provided asfollows. The illumination unit 90A can comprise LEDs 88B for emitting Blight and LEDs 88G for emitting G light disposed in a ring-likeconfiguration as shown in FIG. 26A, the LEDs 88B and the LEDs 88G may belit alternately, and the illumination unit 90B can comprise LEDs 88R foremitting an R light beam disposed in a ring-like configuration. In theimage processing section 138, the base surface reflection read datashown in FIG. 23 may be replaced by the R light reflection read data,the emulsion surface reflection read data may be replaced by the B lightreflection read data, and the transmission read data may be replaced bythe G light read data.

Moreover, although a structure using an area CCD is explained in thepresent embodiment, the present invention can be adopted in a structureusing a line CCD. In this case, a line CCD having a surface area ofphotodiodes larger than that of the line CCD for the transmissionreading is used as the reflection reading line CCD. Accordingly, asensitivity which is four times as much as that of the transmissionreading line CCD can be obtained, so that the light amount can be madeto be ¼. Moreover, the accumulated charge of the adjacent odd-numberedpixel and even-numbered pixel can be synthesized and read. Accordingly,the resolution becomes ½, and the light amount can be made to be ½.Furthermore, an addition averaging process can be applied to thereflection reading data after the A/D conversion. Accordingly, the S/Nratio can be improved by 3 db. In the above-mentioned case, in the casethe number of transmission reading line CCD pixel number is 2,000pixels, the reflection reading main scan is 1,000 pixels and thetransmission reading main scan is 2,000 pixels.

It is also possible to use a common line CCD for R layer reflectionreading line CCD and G layer transmission reading line CCD andalternately the light sources for emitting R light and G light. Or, itis possible to provide independent line CCDS, a filter for transmittingonly R light, and a filter for transmitting only G light, and to lightthe light sources for emitting R light, and G light at the same time.

As heretofore explained, according to the present invention, since theimage information is generated by the generating means based on the highfrequency component information extracted from the transmission imageinformation and the low frequency component information extracted fromthe reflection image information, an effect of appropriately applyingdifferent image processes to the high frequency component informationand the low frequency component information, for example, a sharpnessprocess to the high frequency component and a color correction processto the low frequency component information, can be achieved.

Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will beexplained which is adopted in an image reading apparatus for reading adye image and a silver image recorded on a color photographic filmbefore or after drying, after subjecting the color photographic film tocolor development so as to produce a dye image and a silver image, anddrying without bleaching or fixation after the development. In the caseof color development, a light source of various types of wavelengthsincluding red color light (R light), green color light (G light), andblue color light (B light) can be used. However, in the presentembodiment, a case of reading a silver image and the dye image usinginfrared light (IR light) and G light will be explained. The samecomponents as in the first and second embodiments are denoted by thesame numerals, and further explanation thereof is not given.

FIG. 28 shows the overall structure of the image processing system 10,which has the same configuration as the image processing system 10according to the first and second embodiments shown in FIG. 1, exceptthat the black and white developing section 16 is replaced by a colordeveloping section 17.

In the color developing section 17, color development is carried out byapplying a developer for color development on the photographic film 28.The color developing section has the same structure as the black andwhite developing section 16 shown in FIG. 8, but uses a developer forcolor development.

Like the black and white developing section, due to the spray of thedeveloper from the spray tank 62, the photographic film 28 conveyed at asubstantially constant speed undergoes color development.

As shown in FIG. 29, the illumination unit 90A, which comprises LEDs88IR and LEDs 88G disposed alternately in a ring-like configuration forirradiating light onto the photographic film 28, is provided above thefilm carrier 86. The LEDs 88IR emit light of a wavelength in theinfrared range (about a 950 nm center wavelength) as shown in FIG. 13(IR light), and the LEDs 88G emit G light. The illumination unit 90A isdriven by the LED driver 92 so as to light the LEDs 88IR, 88Gindependently. The LEDs 88IR correspond to the first light source of thepresent invention, and the LEDs 88G correspond to the second lightsource of the present invention.

The photographic film 28 is conveyed by the film carrier 86 so as to bepositioned with the image surface of the image recorded on thephotographic film 28 disposed at a position coinciding with the opticalaxis L (reading position). Moreover, with the image positioned at thereading position, the scanner control section 104 rotates the turret122, 108 such that the opening portion 124 of the reflection plate 118Afor brightness correction and the opening portion 110 of the ND filter106 for brightness correction are provided on the optical axis L, aswell as sets the charge accumulating times t11, t12, t13 of the areaCCDs 96A, 96B corresponding to predetermined reading conditions in theCCD drivers 102A, 102B. The area CCDs 96A, 96B carry out, for a setcharge accumulating time, photoelectric conversion on the reflectedlight from the emulsion surface side (B layer side) of the photographicfilm 28, the reflected light from the base surface side (R layer side),and the transmitted light transmitted through the photographic film 28,and photoelectrically-converted charges are accumulated.

That is, as shown in FIG. 30I, in the case the LEDs 88IR of theillumination unit 90A are lit by the scanner control section 104, the IRlight is irradiated to the B layer side of the photographic film 28 sothat the light reflected by the B layer of the photographic film 28 isdetected by the area CCD 96A as shown in FIG. 30A (more specifically,the photoelectrically converted charge is accumulated). During thecharge accumulation, the piezoelectric driver 99A vibrates thepiezoelectric elements 101AX, 101AY as shown in FIGS. 30B, 30C so as tomove the area CCD 96A in the X1 direction, the Y1 direction, the X2direction, and the Y2 direction successively as shown in FIG. 24B. Thecharge accordingly accumulated is read out from the area CCD 96A as asignal representing the reflected light amount as shown in FIG. 30D.

Moreover, at the same time, the piezoelectric driver 99B vibrates thepiezoelectric elements 101BX, 101BY as shown in FIGS. 30F, 30G so as tomove the area CCD 96B in the X1 direction, the Y1 direction, the X2direction, and the Y2 direction successively as shown in FIG. 24C. Ateach movement, the light transmitted through the photographic film 28 isdetected by the area CCD 96B as shown in FIG. 17E (specifically, thelight is subjected to photoelectric conversion) and is read out from thearea CCD 96B as a signal representing the reflected light amount asshown in FIG. 30H.

When the detection of the transmitted light and the reflected light ofthe B layer is finished and the illumination unit 90B is lit by thescanner control section 104 as shown in FIG. 30J, the IR light isirradiated to the base layer side of the photographic film 28, and thelight reflected by the R layer of the photographic film 28 is detectedby the area CCD 96B as shown in FIG. 30E (specifically, the light issubjected to photoelectric conversion). During the charge accumulation,the piezoelectric driver 99B vibrates the piezoelectric elements 101BX,101BY as shown in FIGS. 30F, 30G so as to move the area CCD 96B in theX1 direction, the Y1 direction, the X2 direction, and the Y2 directionsuccessively as shown in FIG. 24B. The charge accordingly accumulated isread out from the area CCD 96B as a signal representing the reflectedlight amount as shown in FIG. 30H.

When the detection of the B layer reflected light is finished, as shownin FIG. 30I, the LEDs 88G of the illumination unit 90A are lit by thescanner control part 104 so as to irradiate G light to the B layer sideof the photographic film so as to carry out transmission light readingby the G light similar to the above-mentioned transmission light readingby the IR light.

In this way, the light reflected by the R layer and the B layer is readout at a low resolution, and the transmitted light by the IR light andthe G light is read out at a high resolution.

The light amount of the light irradiated by the illumination units 90A,90B, the lighting times t24, t25, and the charge accumulating times t21,t22, t23 by the area CCDs 96A, 96B are set optimally by the set upcalculation by the control section 140 described later, in accordancewith the type of the film or the like.

The reflection light amount by the B layer varies depending on thedeveloped silver amount contained in the B layer(blue-light-photosensitive layer), that is, the silver image amount inthe B layer. Therefore, the photoelectric conversion of the lightreflected by the B layer corresponds to the operation of reading theimage information of an yellow dye image. similarly, since thereflection light amount by the R layer varies depending on the developedsilver amount contained in the R layer (red-light-photosensitive layer),that is, the silver image amount in the R layer, the photoelectricconversion of the light reflected by the R layer(red-light-photosensitive layer) corresponds to the operation of readingthe image information of a cyan dye image. Moreover, the photoelectricconversion of the transmitted light the G light corresponds to theoperation of reading the magenta dye image and the silver image of allof the layers. Furthermore, the photoelectric conversion of thetransmitted light the IR light corresponds to the operation of readingthe silver image of the total of the layers. Therefore, subtraction ofthe transmitted image by the IR light from the transmitted image by theG light corresponds to the operation of reading the image information ofthe magenta dye image in the G layer.

The brightness and darkness correction section 134A stores, as darknesscorrection data for each cell in an unillustrated memory, data which hasbeen inputted to the brightness and darkness correction section in astate in which the light incident side of the area CCD 96A is shut-offfrom light by the black shutter 100A (i.e., data expressing the darkoutput level of each cell of the area CCD 96A). The brightness anddarkness correction section 134A carries out darkness correction bysubtracting the dark output levels of the cells corresponding to therespective pixels from the inputted image data. The darkness correctiondata are set, for example, at the time of inspection when the apparatusis initially used, or each time a predetermined amount of time passes,or each time scanning is carried out. However, it is preferable that thedarkness correction data are set a frequency which enables correctionsfor fluctuations in the dark output level. The darkness correction bythe brightness and darkness correction section 134B can be executed inthe same manner as mentioned above.

Moreover, in a case in which the brightness and darkness correctionsection 134A carries out brightness correction on the image data of animage recorded on the photographic film 28 which has been subjected tocolor development, first, the reflected light is read out by the areaCCD 96A by using a material with a high reflectance, such as a whiteplate. Based on the inputted data (the dispersion in density of therespective pixels represented by the data is due to the dispersion inthe photoelectric conversion characteristics of the respective cells ornon-uniformity of the light source), the gain is determined for eachcell and is stored in a memory (not shown) as the brightness correctiondata. Then, the inputted image data of the frame image which is theobject of reading are corrected for each pixel according to the gaindetermined for each cell. The brightness correction by the brightnessand darkness correction part 134B can be executed in the same manner asmentioned above. Furthermore, in the case of the brightness correctionby reading out the transmitted light from the illumination unit 90A, thebrightness correction is executed in a state in which the light from theillumination unit 90A is directly received by the cells.

Similarly to the first and second embodiments, the conversioncharacteristics f1, f2 are determined. Furthermore, correction forsharpness enhancement is executed in the same manner as in the secondembodiment.

Since the transmission read data by the IR light are the transmissiondensity data of the silver image of the total of the R, G, B layers, andthe transmission read data by the G light are the transmission densitydata of the silver image and the dye image (G image) of the total of theR, G, B layers, given that the transmission density data of the silverimage of the total of the R, G, B layers is DTSV and the transmissiondensity data of the silver image and the dye image (G image) in thetotal of the R, G, B layers is DTRGB, the G transmission density datacan be represented by DTG=DTRGB−DTSV. This calculation is executed bythe MTX circuit 160. Accordingly, since the G transmission density dataDTG comprises only the information of the dye image contained in the Glayer, compared with the case of comprising only the silver imagecontained in the G layer, appropriate color reproduction can be executedwith a high accuracy. The MTX circuit 160 corresponds to the calculatingmeans in the present invention.

Similarly to the first and second embodiments, the conversioncharacteristic f3 is determined. The LUT 162 carries out gray balancecorrection with the conversion characteristic f3 as the reference forthe gradation conversion characteristics, and further executes gradationbalance correction by correction carried out by using the light sourcecorrection coefficient.

The image data which have been subjected to gray balance correctionundergo dodging processing by the automatic dodging section 166. The lowfrequency component image data subjected to the automatic dodgingprocessing are, by the adding section 167, combined with the highfrequency component image data subjected to the sharpness enhancementprocessing by the sharpness enhancement section 168. The LPF 159, thesubtracting section 161, the adding section 167, and the sharpnessenhancement section 168 correspond to the generating means according tothe present invention.

The image data which have been subjected to image processings in thisway are converted to the image data to be displayed on the monitor 154by the 3D (three-dimensional) LUT color conversion section 170, as wellas converted to the image data to be printed on a printing paper in theprinter section 24 by the 3D LUT conversion section 172.

Similarly to the first and second embodiments, the operation of thepresent embodiment will be explained with an example of a case ofprocessing an APS film. Operations which are the same as those of thefirst and second embodiments are not explained.

The photographic film 28 which has been subjected to color developmentis conveyed to the film scanner 20 via the buffer section 18. When thereference exposure area 32 is detected by the frame detecting sensor116, the central portion of the reference exposure area 32 is positionedon the optical axis L.

Next, the scanner control section 104 sets the charge accumulating timest21, t22, t23 for the CCD drivers 102A, 102B, and lights theillumination units 90A, 90B for the lighting times t24, t25 so as toirradiate IR light to the photographic film 28. Accordingly, thereference exposure area 32 is read out by the area CCDs 96A, 96B. Thatis, the reflected light of the B layer is detected by the area CCD 96A,and the reflected light of the R layer and the transmitted light of eachlayer are detected by the area CCD 96B.

When the operation of reading the reference exposure area 32 isfinished, the image frame 1 is positioned so as to be on the opticalaxis L, so that the operation of reading the image frame 1 is carriedout. That is, the LEDs 88IR of the illumination unit 90A are litaccording to the timing as shown in FIG. 30 so that the reflectionreading of the photographic film 28 on the base surface side is carriedout at a low resolution by the area CCD 96A. At the same time, thetransmission reading by the IR light is carried out at a high resolutionby the area CCD 96B.

Next, the LEDs 88IR of the illumination unit 90B are lit so that thereflection reading of the photographic film 28 on the base surface sideis carried out at a low resolution by the area CCD 96B. Then, the LEDs88G of the illumination unit 90A are lit so that the transmissionreading by the G light of the photographic film 28 is carried out at ahigh resolution by the area CCD 96B. These reading data are subjected tobrightness and darkness processing, or the like and are outputted to theimage processing apparatus 22.

Image processings are carried out in the image processing section 138 inthe same way as in the second embodiment.

In contrast, the G transmission density data DTG are calculated by theMTX circuit 160 by subtracting the transmission density data DTS of thetotal of the silver images in the R, G, B layers from the transmissiondensity data DTRGB of the total of the silver images in the R, G, Blayers and the dye image (G image). Then, the image data of the lowfrequency components of the G transmission density data DTG, the Rtransmission density data DTR and the B transmission density data DTBare subjected to color correction by the color correction coefficient soas to calculate the R, G, B data without color mixing.

Since the G transmission density data DTG comprises only the dye imageinformation contained in the G layer, compared with the case of datacomprising only the silver image contained in the G layer, colorreproduction can be executed appropriately with high accuracy.

Moreover, with regard to graininess, the image information of the Glayer as the intermediate layer is most important. Human eyes aresensitive with respect to the G layer image information. Therefore, theroughness of the final image is influenced greatly by the G layer imageinformation. Therefore, as shown in the following formula (6), since thegrains of the R image information and the B image information are addedto the G layer image information TG obtained by subtracting the R layerand B layer silver image information TR, TB from the silver imageinformation TRGB of the total of the three layers after the black andwhite development, the graininess intensifies.

TG=TRGB−TR−TB  (6)

The graininess in this case is represented by the following formula (7).

σG2=σRGB2+σR2+σB2  (7).

However, the transmission density data DTG of the G layer comprisingonly the dye image information are obtained in the present invention bysubjecting the photographic film 28 to color development, andsubtracting the transmission density data DTSV of the total of thesilver images in the R G, B layers from the transmission density dataDTRGB of the total of the silver images in the R, G, B layers and thedye image (G image). Thus, there is little graininess, which isexpressed by the above formula, and an image with little graininess canfinally be obtained.

Next, gray balance correction is executed by the LUT 162 with theconversion characteristic f3 as a reference of the gradation conversioncharacteristics. If necessary, gradation balance correction is executedby using the light source correction coefficient.

The image data which have been subjected to gray balance correction areenlarged or reduced by a predetermined magnification by theenlarging/reducing section 164, and are subjected to dodging processingby the automatic dodging section 166. The low frequency component imagedata which have been subjected to automatic dodging processing arecombined with the high frequency component image data which has beensubjected to sharpness enhancement processing by the sharpnessenhancement section 168.

The image data which have been subjected to image processings in thismanner are converted to image data to be displayed on the monitor 154 bythe 3DLUT color conversion section 170, as well as converted to imagedata to be printed on a printing paper in the printer section 24 by the3DLUT conversion section 172.

The image data which have undergone image processings are exposed on aprinting paper by the printer section 24. The printing paper exposed inaccordance with image data is fed to the processor section 26 and issubjected to color developing, bleaching fixing, washing with water, anddrying processes. Accordingly, the image exposed and recorded on theprinting paper is made visible. The images recorded on the image framesare read out successively, are subjected to image processings, and areprinted on a printing paper.

In the case of color developing such as the case described above, the Bimage density is a high B density due to the inherent absorption of thesilver halide remaining in the B layer. Further, the reading load isconsidered to be lighter in reflection reading than in transmissionreading because of the residual yellow filter and the like. Thus, use ofthe above-described reflection reading is effective in cases in whichreading without fixation and bleaching is preferable, in order toachieve a higher speed in the color development.

Although IR light is used for the reflected light detection in the abovedescription, it is possible for at least one of the reflected lights IRlights to not be, such as obtaining the image information related to thecyan dye image and the silver image in the red-light-photosensitivelayer by detecting the reflected light using the R light, or obtainingthe image information related to the yellow dye image and the silverimage in the blue-light-photosensitive layer by detecting the reflectedlight by using B light.

As heretofore explained, according to the present invention, since theimage in formation of the intermediate layer comprises only the dyeimage information, compared with the information comprising only thesilver image, information can be obtained with a high accuracy so thatan effect of realizing appropriate color reproduction as well asproviding a reduced graininess can be achieved.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image processing system for carrying out imageprocessing on an image recorded on a color photographic photosensitivematerial which has at least three types of photographic photosensitivelayers containing blue-light-photosensitive, green-light-photosensitive,and red-light-photosensitive silver halide emulsions on a lighttransmissible supporting member, and which is processed such that asilver image is generated in the photographic photosensitive layersafter exposure of an image, said image processing system comprising: alight source for irradiating a light to a front side and a back side ofthe color photographic photosensitive material; a reading sensor forreading image information by light reflected from the front side and theback side of the color photographic photosensitive material, and lighttransmitted through the color photographic photosensitive material; anexposing device for exposing a predetermined unexposed area of the colorphotographic photosensitive material by each blue, green, and red light;a calculating device for determining correction conditions forcorrecting image information of each color on the basis of the lightsreflected from the front side and an back side of the color photographicphotosensitive material in an area exposed by each color and the lighttransmitted through the color photographic photosensitive material; anda correcting device for correcting a read image in accordance with thecorrection conditions.
 2. The image processing system according to claim1, wherein the calculating device determines the correction conditionsafter converting each reflection density obtained by the lightsreflected from the front side and the back side of the colorphotographic photosensitive material to a transmission density.
 3. Theimage processing system according to claim 1, wherein the correctionconditions are conditions for correcting color mixing of respectivecolors.
 4. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein theexposing device carries out gray exposure on the predetermined unexposedarea of the color photographic photosensitive material, the calculatingdevice further determines the correction conditions for correcting graybalance and contrast based on the light reflected from the front sideand the back side of the color photographic photosensitive material andthe light transmitted through the color photographic photosensitivematerial, and the correcting device carries out at least one ofnon-linearity correction of the read image, gray balance correction ofthe read image, and contrast correction of the read image in accordancewith the correction conditions.
 5. The image processing system accordingto claim 1, wherein the calculating device further determines thecorrection conditions for correcting gray balance based on lightsreflected from the front side and the back side of the unexposed area ofthe color photographic photosensitive material and light transmittedthrough the unexposed area of the color photographic photosensitivematerial, and the correcting device or corrects the gray balance of theread image in accordance with by the correction conditions.
 6. The imageprocessing system according to claim 1, further comprising a settingdevice for setting the correction conditions for correcting the readimage information.
 7. The image processing system according to claim 6,wherein the correction conditions are determined in advance such that afirst image recorded on the color photographic photosensitive material,which has been processed such that a silver image has been generated inthe photographic photosensitive layers after exposure of the image,coincides with a second image recorded on the color photographicphotosensitive material, which has been processed so as to generate adye image by eliminating the silver image.
 8. The image processingsystem according to claim 6, wherein the setting device sets thecorrection conditions for each type of color photographic photosensitivematerial based on a plurality of image information read by the readingsensor.
 9. The image processing system according to claim 1, furthercomprising a storing device for storing the correction conditions foreach type of color photographic sensitive material, and a detectingdevice for detecting the type of the color photographic photosensitivematerial, wherein the correcting device corrects the read image inaccordance with correction conditions stored in the storing devicecorresponding to the detected type of color photographic photosensitivematerial.
 10. The image processing system according to claim 1, furthercomprising a setting device for setting reading conditions on the basisof light reflected from the front side and the back side of theunexposed area of the color photographic photosensitive material andlight transmitted through the unexposed area of the color photographicphotosensitive material.
 11. An image processing system for carrying outimage processing on an image recorded on a color photographicphotosensitive material which has at least three types of photographicphotosensitive layers containing blue photosensitive, greenphotosensitive, and red photosensitive silver halide emulsions on alight transmissible supporting member, and which is processed such thata silver image is generated in the photographic photosensitive layersafter exposure of an image, said image processing system comprising: alight source for irradiating light onto a front side and a back side ofthe color photographic photosensitive material, and a reading sensor forreading, at a low resolution, reflected image information based onlights reflected from the front side and the back side of the colorphotographic photosensitive material, and for reading, at a highresolution, image information based on light transmitted through thecolor photographic photosensitive material.
 12. The image processingsystem according to claim 11, further comprising a generating device forgenerating image information by extracting high frequency componentinformation from transmitted image information read by the readingsensor, and combining the extracted high frequency component informationand reflected image information read by the reading sensor.
 13. Theimage processing system according to claim 12, wherein the generatingdevice further extracts low frequency component information from thereflected image information read by the reading sensor, and combines theextracted low frequency component information and the high frequencycomponent information.
 14. The image processing system according toclaim 12, wherein the generating device combines the high frequencycomponent information after subjecting the high frequency componentinformation to a sharpness processing.
 15. The image processing systemaccording to claim 11, wherein the reading sensor includes a pluralityof photoelectric conversion elements for the photoelectric conversion ofthe reflected light, and the image processing system further comprises amoving device for moving the reading sensor in a predetermined directionduring photoelectric conversion by the photoelectric conversionelements.
 16. The image processing system according to claim 11, whereinthe reading sensor includes a plurality of photoelectric conversionelements for the photoelectric conversion of the reflected light, andcombines outputs from adjacent photoelectric conversion elements. 17.The image processing system according to claim 11, wherein the readingsensor comprises a front side low resolution sensor for reading, at alow resolution, reflected image information based on light reflectedfrom the front side of the color photographic photosensitive material; aback side low resolution sensor for reading, at a low resolution,reflected image information based on light reflected from the back sideof the color photographic photosensitive material; and a high resolutionsensor for reading, at a high resolution, transmitted image informationbased on light transmitted through the color photographic photosensitivematerial.
 18. The image processing system according to claim 11, whereinthe reading sensor comprises a common sensor for reading, at a lowresolution reflected image information based on light reflected from oneof the front side and the back side of the color photographicphotosensitive material, and for reading, at a high resolution,transmitted image information based on light transmitted through thecolor photographic photosensitive material; and a low resolution sensorfor reading, at a low resolution, reflected image information based on alight beam reflected by another of the front side and the back side ofthe color photographic photosensitive material.
 19. An image processingsystem for carrying out image processing on an image recorded on a colorphotographic photosensitive material which has at least three types ofphotographic photosensitive layers containing blue photosensitive, greenphotosensitive, and red photosensitive silver halide emulsions on alight transmissible supporting member, and which is processed such thatan image including a silver image and a dye image is generated in thephotographic photosensitive layers after exposure of an image, saidimage processing system comprising: a first light source for irradiatinginfrared light onto the color photographic photosensitive material suchthat the infrared light is transmitted through the photographicphotosensitive layer of an intermediate layer; a second light source forirradiating, onto the color photographic photosensitive layer,complementary color light of a color complementary to the dye containedin the image in the photographic photosensitive layer of theintermediate layer, such that the complementary color light istransmitted through the intermediate layer; a reading sensor for readingfirst transmitted image information based on the infrared lighttransmitted through the color photographic photosensitive material, aswell as second transmitted image information based on the complementarycolor light transmitted through the color photographic photosensitivematerial; and a calculating device for obtaining image information ofthe intermediate layer by calculation using the second transmitted imageinformation and the first transmitted image information.
 20. The imageprocessing system according to claim 19, wherein the first light sourceirradiates infrared light onto a front side and a back side of the colorphotographic photosensitive material, and the reading sensor readsreflected images of upper and lower photographic photosensitive layersbased on infrared light reflected by an emulsion surface side and asupporting member side of the color photographic photosensitivematerial.
 21. The image processing system according to claim 19, whereinthe second light source includes: an upper layer light source forirradiating, onto an upper photographic photosensitive layer, firstcomplementary color light of a color complementary to dye contained inan image of the upper photographic photosensitive layer; a lower layerlight source for irradiating, onto a lower photographic photosensitivelayer, second complementary color light of a color complementary to dyecontained in an image of the lower photographic photosensitive layer;and an intermediate layer light source for irradiating, onto the colorphotographic photosensitive material, third complementary color light ofa color complementary to coloring matter contained in a silver image ofan intermediate photographic photosensitive material layer, such thatthe third complementary color light is transmitted through theintermediate layer, wherein the image processing system furthercomprises a reading sensor for reading reflected images of the upper andlower photographic photosensitive layers based on the firstcomplementary color light and the second complementary color lightreflected by an emulsion surface side and an supporting member side ofthe color photographic photosensitive material, and for reading firsttransmitted image information based on infrared light transmittedthrough the color photographic photosensitive material, and for readingsecond transmitted image information based on the third complementarycolor light transmitted through the color photographic photosensitivematerial.